Amid the rise in number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the past days, Quezon City government on Friday renewed the call to residents to follow health protocols in helping prevent the virus from spreading.
“Keep in mind that we are all responsible for our health and the health of others around us, particularly our family, friends and loved ones,” she said.
“So, we must act responsibly by obeying all health protocols so we can have a safe and happy Christmas celebration despite the pandemic,” Belmonte added.
She noted the spike in the average number of daily cases based on the Dec. 22 report from OCTA Research.
From an average of around 90 cases per day from Dec. 9 to 15, the number rose to more than 120 cases per day from Dec. 16 to 21 based on case reports from the Department of Health.
Dr. Rolando Cruz, City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU), head noted the increase in the city’s reproduction rate, which indicates how contagious the infectious disease, to 1.54 on Dec. 20 from 1.50 three days earlier. The city started the month with reproduction rate of 0.92.
From an average of just 0.79 in November, the city’s average this month is 1.13, far from the ideal number of 0.50 set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
When it comes to positivity rate, Dr. Cruz said the city currently had an average of 8 percent from Dec. 14-20, up from the 6 percent that was recorded from Dec. 7-13.
The city earlier achieved a positivity rate of 5 percent in three straight weeks from Nov. 16 to Dec. 6.
The WHO recommended a positivity rate of below 5 percent.
Meanwhile, the city conducted an average of 2,197 tests per day from Dec. 14-20, higher than the average of 2,102 the previous week.
Joseph Juico, head of QC Task Force on COVID-19, said the city government has boosted its contact tracing capability to 1:24, meaning it could quickly trace more people who had close interaction with possible or confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The city government is prepared for a surge in cases, he said,
He, however, cautioned the citizens should do their share by taking the necessary safety precautions, especially during the holidays.