The seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) has dropped to 5.8 percent in the first week of 2023, according to data by independent monitoring group OCTA Research on Tuesday.
OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David showed that NCR’s positivity rate—or the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among individuals tested—decreased from 9.1 percent on Dec. 31, 2022, to 5.8 percent as of Jan. 7, 2023.
In Luzon, positivity rates in Batangas, Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, and Pangasinan declined to “low” level, meaning they went below the five percent threshold.
Bulacan recorded the lowest data at 3.5 percent, down from the previous week’s 4.4 percent.
Other provinces like Albay, Bataan, Benguet, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, La Union, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Quezon, and Rizal all reported a decline in positivity rates over the past week as well.
Despite this, the positivity rates were still considered “high” in Isabela and Albay, with 35.1 percent and 25.6 percent, respectively.
The Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday a total of 3,127 new COVID-19 infections were registered nationwide from Jan. 2 to Jan. 8. The daily case average for the recent week was 447, or nine percent lower than the previous 494.
On Monday alone, 473 new COVID-19 cases were recorded.
NCR still reported the highest number of new cases in the last 14 days with 2,200. Calabarzon followed with 1,090; Central Luzon with 527;
Western Visayas with 339; and Cagayan Valley with 338.