Below 1K new COVID-19 cases daily possible in March —OCTA

New COVID-19 daily cases in the country could further decrease to just three digits in March if the observed downward trend continues, the OCTA Research said Wednesday.

"We're hoping by March, babalik na 'yan sa three digits. Basta tuloy-tuloy lang 'yung pagbaba ng bilang ng kaso at walang mangyaring spikes or major upticks. By March tingin natin ganoon na rin 'yung sitwasyon natin sa buong bansa," OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said at the Laging Handa briefing.

(We're hoping by March, it will return to three digits. As long as the number of cases continuously decline and there were no spikes or major upticks. By March we think the situation will be the same in the whole country.)

From 8.93 on Tuesday, David said NCR's average daily attack rate, or the incidence showing the average number of new cases in a period per 100,000 people, is currently around 7.

The country's COVID-19 cases is also decreasing with 3,574 new cases reported by the Department of Health on Tuesday.

"The daily attack rate measures the levels of infections, is decreasing. It is good news not only for NCR, but for the whole country," David said.

Moreover, David said the OCTA Research is projecting that the healthcare utilization rate of NCR will decrease to a "low risk" of 30% either this Wednesday or on Thursday.

Records of less than 1,000 COVID-19 daily cases were seen in December last year. —LBG, GMA News