Albay COVID-19 positivity rate rises to 21.6% –OCTA

The COVID-19 positivity rate in the province of Albay increased to 21.6% as locals gathered together in evacuation centers amid Mayon Volcano’s intensified unrest, data by independent monitoring group OCTA Research showed Sunday.

OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said that Albay’s seven-day testing positivity rate went up from 14.8% on June 23, to 21.6% on June 30.

Positivity rate refers to the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

A total of 18,751 people or 5,365 families were staying in 28 evacuation centers in the Bicol Region, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Sunday.

On the other hand, 1,427 people or 408 families were seeking temporary shelters outside of evacuation centers while Mayon Volcano is under Alert Level 3.

The National Capital Region’s (NCR) positivity rate, meanwhile, continued to dip during the same period. It reached 5% on Friday from the previous 5.9%.

With this, the NCR was now at “low risk” for COVID-19, David said.

The entire Philippines on Saturday registered 319 new COVID-19 cases, with the active caseload down to 6,945. — DVM, GMA Integrated News