The Health Agency announces 1173 new cases with 35% still coming from NCR and a positivity rate of 12.3%. There are 24 added deaths today.

NCR was led by Quezon City with 94 and Manila 72 cases. Other double digit numbers came from the following LGUs: Taguig 34, Makati 31, 28, Caloocan 24, Muntinlupa 23, Las Piñas 21, Parañaque 19, Marikina 17, Valenzuela 11, Mandaluyong 10.

Provinces with more than 30 cases were: Cavite 64, Negros Occidental 48, Laguna 46, Rizal 45, Cebu 41, Pangasinan 30.

THE GLOBAL DATA AS OF 27 NOVEMBER 2022 (NOV 30, ED 120, PUBLICATION WHO)

The world saw a very slight upward change in numbers for the week of November 21-27, 2022 compared to the previous week. However, the number of weekly deaths continued to decline by 5%.

On a regional level, the case numbers increased in two WHO regions: the Region of the Americas (+19%) and the Western Pacific Region (+8%). The Philippines is classified under the Western Pacific Region. Deaths declined in three regions but increased in the Region of the Americas (+21%), the Western Pacific Region (+9%), and the South-East Asia Region (+5%). Note that the increasing deaths in the Region of the Americas is mainly due to deaths in the elderly population in the United States who have developed COVID-19.

At the country level, highest cases in the world came from Japan (which saw a large jump of 18%), the Republic of Korea (up by 4%), the United States of America (up by 8%), France (decline by 1%), and Italy (declining by 27%). Deaths were topped in the USA (+16%), Japan (+42%), Brazil (+113%) , Italy (-22%) and China (-17%).

The World Health Organization is worried that the trends in reported COVID-19 cases are declining not due to the fact that pandemic is slowing down but in reality many countries have changed the testing strategies, resulting in overall lower case numbers of tests done and hence, lower numbers of cases detected. In the Philippines alone, the average PCT tests performed are at an all time low of 12,500 tests per day. This accounts for the high positivity rate in the country (12.2%) in spite of the low numbers reported. The number of reported COVID-19 cases is an underestimate of the actual number of cases in the population, making the prevalence reports unreliable on the true prevalence of the pandemic in the individual countries and globally.

The cases in East Asia are being driven by increasing cases seen in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. China is also seeing a rise in the number of COVID 19 cases, making their ZERO COVID policy a very difficult balancing act to implement against the economy of the country.

Reproduction numbers are up in many East Asian nations, including the Philippines which is at 1.00 (+/- 0.05). This means that with the high positivity rate in the Philippines, the potential to see the number of cases jump up is high as the holiday season approaches. In addition, the low case reports in spite of the high positivity means that we are underestimating the true numbers and that complacency and lax protocols as the Christmas get-togethers are at hand are likely to increase the COVID cases as this month.

As the economic train moves towards the pre-pandemic rate, a ‘pandemic is over’ attitude is, as Eric Topol would put it, “blatantly off base”. Ignoring the circulating virus will not make it go away. Ignoring it will not make things better. Ignoring it would simply be irresponsible towards other people who are immunocompromised. Ignoring it will make us turn away from observing protocols on public health – hand washing, masking when in crowded areas, proper ventilation, isolating when positive and testing when we have symptoms.

Ignoring this will throw away the gains made in the last 3 years. And going back to square one is not worth all that ignoring.

The Health Agency announced 1234 new cases with 19 added deaths and a positivity rate of 12.2% today. The National Capital Region took the haul with 35% of the cases.

The City of Manila took the national haul with 75 cases followed by Quezon City with 65. Other LGUs in NCR that reported double digits were: Parañaque 42, Makati 39, Caloocan 33, Pasig 30, Las Piñas and Mandaluyong 24 each, Taguig 23, Muntinlupa 20, Pasay City 18 and Valenzuela 17.

The provinces that reported more than 30 cases were led by Rizal 61, Cavite 55, Laguna 54, Cebu 47 and Cagayan 31.

The Health Agency announces 1283 new cases as testing remained low at a little more than 11,000 tests done last December 01 to yield a positivity rate of 12.2%. There were 24 added deaths today.

NCR continued to take the haul with 457 new cases or 36% of the overall share for the day. And the numbers are even underestimated or under reported.

Today’s haul in the NCR was led by Quezon City with 88 cases followed by Manila with 66. This was followed by Makati 43, Pasig 40, Parañaque 32, Muntinlupa 29, Caloocan 28, Taguig 26, Mandaluyong and Valenzuela 19 each, Las Piñas 18, Pasay City 12, Marikina 11 and Navotas 10.

In the provinces, Cebu led the haul with 68 cases followed by Cavite 62, Cagayan 46, Isabela 43, Rizal 41, Laguna 40, Bulacan and Nueva Vizcaya with 31 each.

The surprise high numbers for the day came from Camarines Norte and Zamboanga del Norte that had 21 cases each.

Data and graph above is care of Professor Guido David and shows a continued rise in the positivity rate of the National Capital Region.

The Health Agency announces 1238 new cases from a little more than only 11,000 tests done (on December 30, 2022) with a 7-day average positivity at 12%. There were 17 added deaths today.

NCR owned 31% (388) of the day’s cases.

The haul was led by Quezon City 72 followed by Manila 65 and Pasig 38. Other LGUs with double digits but less than 30 cases were: Makati 29, Taguig 26, Caloocan and Parañaque 25 each, Mandaluyong 22, Muntinlupa 19, Marikina 15, Pasay City and Las Piñas 13 each, Valenzuela and Navotas 10 each. San Juan was the only LGU in Mega Manila that reported zero covid today.

Other provinces that had more than 30 cases were: Laguna 58, Cebu 52, Cavite 49, Rizal 43, Ilocos Norte 35, Benguet and Kalinga 30 each.

The last day of the month saw the Health Agency announcing 918 new cases with a positivity rate of 11.8% based on a little more than 14,000 tests done. There were 21 added deaths.

The NCR owned 33% of the day’s cases with 306. Quezon City led the haul with 59 cases followed by Manila with 50 and Pasig with 31. Eight other LGUs reported double digits but less than 30 cases in Mega Manila: Makati 28, Pasay City 22, Caloocan 20, Mandaluyong 18, Taguig and Parañaque 14 each, Las Piñas and Marikina 13 each.

In the provinces, Cebu led the pack with 58 cases followed by Cavite 39, Laguna 37 and Benguet 30.

The Health Agency announces 801 new cases on the low Tuesday with 10.8% positivity rate (which will continue to climb over the week). There are 12 added deaths today.

NCR took the haul with 277 (35%) new cases led by Quezon City with 72, Manila 39, Taguig 37, Makati 24, Caloocan 20, Parañaque 17 and Pasay City 12.

Provinces with more than 30 cases today were limited to 4: Cavite 36, Cebu 34, Rizal 31, and Negros Occidental 30.

The Health Agency announces 1083 new cases with 10.4% positivity and 14 added deaths. Leading the haul was NCR with 452 cases or 42% of the day’s share.

Quezon City led with 99 cases followed by Manila with 98. Ten other LGUs reported lower double digits: Pasig 39, Makati 37, Taguig 23, Caloocan 20, Marikina 19, Parañaque, Pasay City and Valenzuela with 18 each, Las Piñas 16 and Muntinlupa 15.

Outside NCR, the following provinces and HUCs had more than 30 cases: Benguet 78 (with Baguio hauling 50 cases), Cavite 53, Cebu 52, Bulacan 52, Laguna 37 and Rizal 35.

The Health Agency announces 1326 new cases with 12% positivity rate for a little more than 10,000 individuals tests (one of the lowest testing in the past few months. There were 23 added deaths today.

The NCR owned more than 34% of the day’s cases with 457. With the uptick in cases in NCR, the day was led by Pasig City with 98 cases followed by Manila and Quezon City with 60 cases each. The other LGUs with double digits in Mega Manila were: Las Piñas 33, Parañaque 31, Makati 27, Caloocan 23, Taguig 22, Pasay City and Muntinlupa 18 each, Mandaluyong and Marikina 17 each, and Valenzuela with 12.

Outside NCR, the following provinces had more than 30 cases: Negros Occidental 58, Cebu 50, Cavite 48, Laguna 40, Rizal 42, Iloilo 31, Cagayan 34 and Benguet 33.

While understandably, the counting has become inaccurate because of the (1) basis for prevalence is RT-PCR and (2) delayed reports (in spite of the low number of tests), the NCR, which remains the epicenter of the pandemic in the Philippines has been the barometer for any uptick in cases. And with NCR seeing higher numbers (and a larger share of the day’s cases), we should be more cautious during the holiday gatherings and be mindful and responsible during the Christmas celebration.

THE GLOBAL DATA AS OF 20 NOVEMBER 2022 (NOV 23, ED 119, PUBLICATION WHO)

Based on data as of November 20, 2022, the number of weekly cases declined by 5% for the week of November 14-20, 2022 compared to the previous week. Weekly deaths also declined by 13% compared to the previous week.

At the regional level, the number of newly reported cases continued to decline except in the Region of the Americas which saw a 3% bump up and the South-East Asia Region which was up by 8%.Weekly deaths increased in the Western Pacific Region by 1%, African Region by 124% and South East Asia Region by 13%.

At the country level, the highest cases came from Japan (+18%), South Korea (+2%), USA (-3%), France (+24%), and China (-8%). Highest weekly deaths were from USA, Japan, China, France and Russia.

The WHO continues to monitor the global COVID-19 situation with a caution in the data interpretation as several countries have changed their COVID-19 testing strategies, resulting in lower overall number of tests performed an hence, lower cases detected.

Countries in East Asia are seeing increasing cases this past week, with Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong leading the pack. The reproduction numbers are >1.0 in China, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea. While the data is as of November 22, where the Rt in the Philippines is at 0.84 (+/- 0.05), the latest increase in cases in the Philippines has bumped up the Rt to 1.0 (+-0.05), with NCR alone at 1.25.

Testing in the Philippines, as exemplified with the NCR data with RT-PCR in the graph below (c/o Prof. Guido David) is also at an all time low, with total number of daily tests done similar to the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Many of these tests are from hospitals as patients are required testing prior to some admission policies. This accounts for the increasing positivity rate in the NCR, which jumped from 7.5% the previous weeks to >10% yesterday. The overall positivity rate in the country stands at 12.1% on 11.26.2022. As the number of cases in NCR continue its upward climb, we are also seeing a rise of cases in the provinces and other highly urbanized cities. The data being provided should serve as a reminder that we need to stay vigilant and responsible as the holidays have begun. It should also serve as a reminder to the government that it needs a quicker and more agile response so that the economy is not affected with the rise in numbers as we are seeing now.

The Health Agency announces 1894 new cases with 23 added deaths and a rising positivity which is now at 12.1%. The biggest leap in positivity came from NCR which jumped from 7.6% last 10 days to 10.5% today. The NCR owned 536 of the day’s ases

This was led by Manila with 94 cases, Quezon City 86, Taguig 58, and Makati 54. The following LGUs reported less than 50 cases: Parañaque 33, Las Piñas 32, Pasig 29, Muntinlupa 26, Caloocan 23, Mandaluyong 16 and 15 each for Pasay City, San Juan and Navotas.

In the provinces, high double digits were noted in the following provinces led by Cebu with 118 cases. Others were: Cavite 77, Laguna 57, Rizal 55, Bulacan 64, Tarlac 32, Iloilo 37, Negros Occidental 55, Cagayan 47, Davao del Sur 49, Benguet 47, Kalinga 66 and Bukidnon 32.

Remember, we are under reported and the cases are under estimated. At the rate the uptick is being seen, please continue to wear a mask, avoid crowded places and try not to party too much. You may miss the holidays…

At the rate the cases are rising, the public is cautioned to observe minimum public health standards and please remember to be mindful of others as it is all our responsibility not to get others infected.

The Health Agency announces 1353 new cases with the positivity rate continuing its climb to 11.9% today. There were 28 added deaths. The NCR owned 34% of the cases with 459 cases.

Quezon City led the day’s haul with 102 cases followed by Manila with 85. Ten other LGUs in NCR had double digits: Valenzuela and Makati 37, Parañaque 29, Mandaluyong 26, Caloocan 24, Pasig and Taguig with 20 each, Pasay City and Las Piñas with 18 each and Marikina with 15.

In the provinces, the following reported more than 30 cases: Cebu 78, Benguet 74 (Baguio owning 51), Cavite 65, Bulacan 47, Laguna 48, Rizal 43, Davao del Sur 38, Pangasinan 33, and Nueva Vizcaya 30.