Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 4) — COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region are on a downward trend, but the Department of Health is cautious in declaring the worst is over because of the possibility that it may be an artificial decline.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reported a 28% decrease in the number of cases in the past seven days in Metro Manila, with new daily infections from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 down to an average of 3,121, compared to the 4,320 recorded from Sept. 20 to 26. The official added that NCR saw its peak in new cases from Sept. 5 to 11, with an average of 5,714 infections.
However, the DOH said majority of the regions also reported conducting fewer RT-PCR tests from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3, with the biggest decline seen in Metro Manila.
Only 228,659 tests were conducted in NCR in the recent week compared to the 266,042 RT-PCR tests done in the previous week. Vergeire said the reasons are due to lower testing capacity in some laboratories, while some areas are opting to use antigen tests over RT-PCR.
“As cases in most areas are starting to decline, there is a need to address the decrease in testing output, ensure daily submission of antigen line list, and continue active case finding to validate this decline,” she said in a media briefing.
The official refused to categorically say if the worst is truly over for the capital region since there were fewer tests conducted and ICU bed usage remains at high risk.
“Pinag-aaralan pa rin natin kung artificial itong decline because of the decreasing testing outputs,” she said in a media briefing. “We do not like to give false hope to our public. Kailangan confirmed na po na totoo na po na bumababa na.”
[Translation: We are studying if the decline is artificial because of the decreasing testing output. We do not like to give false hope to our public. We need to confirm if it is indeed going down.]
