The Philippines: OCTA: Metro Manila COVID-19 reproduction number at 4.69 from 6.16 peak amid glimmer of hope

• Metro Manila’s COVID-19 reproduction number — a term which refers to the number of persons a COVID-19 positive individual can infect — has decreased to 4.69 in recent days, the OCTA Research Group said.
• At the number’s peak earlier in Jan 22, the independent pandemic monitor said, one carrier of the disease could infect up to 6.16 people each on 2 Jan 22 until slowing down to its current number as of 8 Jan 22.
• “A decreasing reproduction number indicates that the trend is slowing down. One way to think of this is a decreasing growth rate — cases are still rising but at a slower pace. In past surges, a peak is always preceded by a decreasing reproduction number,” OCTA fellow Guido David said in a tweet.
• The reproduction number in the National Capital Region — where more than 50% of all tests being conducted have come out positive — has been higher than 5 since 30 Dec 21.
• The Metro Manila Council of mayors, though, said it still saw no reason to place the Metro under the stricter Alert Level 4, citing relatively “stable” hospital utilization numbers.

External Link : https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/01/12/2153442/octa-metro-manila-covid-19-reproduction-number-469-616-peak