The OCTA Research Team on Tuesday reported that the Covid-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila had jumped to 10.6 percent, marking the first time the number breached 10 percent since October 2022.
In a tweet, OCTA fellow Guido David said the region’s seven-day positivity rate increased from 7.5 percent as of April 17 to 10.6 percent as of April 24.
David attributed the increase to the omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, which the Department of Health confirmed was already in the Philippines.
“This is probably XBB 1.16, likely to be already spreading in the country,” he said.
The region had an average of 3,120 tests per day from April 16 to 23, he added.
Hospital occupancy in the region remained low at 21 percent.
Metro Manila has 1,473 active Covid-19 cases as of April 25. John Ezekiel J. Hirro