The OCTA Research group is sounding the alarm over the increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the cities of Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo.

From June 15 to 21, Davao registered an average of 246 Covid-19 cases per day, which is higher compared to the previous period of 193. This is a 28-percent increase in the average cases of the city.

OCTA Research also said that Bacolod is getting an average of 114 cases per day while it is 88 for Iloilo.

Furthermore, the groups said Cebu and Tacloban had the highest jump in percentage, or 35 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

“Outside the NCR, the areas of concern include: Davao City, Bacolod, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro and Tacloban, although there were some welcome news as new cases had a decrease in some noted hotspots, e.g. Bacolod, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Butuan,” OCTA Research said.

“High hospital bed occupancy (HBUR greater than 70 percent) was observed in: Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, Tuguegarao, Dasmariñas, Butuan, Tacloban, Roxas City and Polomolok (which was at critical level). ICUs were already at critical level (above 85-percent utilization) in Davao City, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Tagum, Cotabato City, San Pablo, Koronadal, Batangas City and Santa Rosa,” it added.

For the National Capital Region, OCTA Research said the average daily number of new Covid-19 cases over the past seven days continued to decrease to 700.

Its latest monitoring report showed the figure accounts for a 15-percent decrease for the period June 15 to 21 compared to the previous week.

“This corresponds to an ADAR (average daily attack rate) of 5.07 per 100,000. An ADAR less than 5 per 100,000 is considered moderate-low,” OCTA said.

The NCR’s reproduction number over the same period was 0.73.

Its positivity rate was 7 percent with 35 percent hospital bed occupancy, 42 percent intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy, and 31 percent mechanical ventilator occupancy – all within safe levels.

Among the local government units in the NCR, Navotas had the lowest average number of cases at three, and the lowest ADAR at 1.28.

“This means it is close to being classified as a low-risk area – ADAR of less than one per 100,000,” OCTA Research said.