OCTA: NCR’s COVID-19 reproduction number increases to ‘critical’ 1.85

The reproduction number of the coronavirus causing COVID-19 has gone up to a critical 1.85 in the National Capital Region (NCR), the OCTA Research group said Saturday, amid the threat of the highly contagious Delta variant.

In its latest monitoring report, the OCTA Research also reported that the country’s reproduction number increased to 1.45.

The independent body also reported 13 local government units (LGUs) with critical number of new daily cases for the period of August 7 to 13.

OCTA on Thursday reported that the country’s reproduction number, which refers to the number of people that each COVID-19 case can infect, stood at 1.41.

The Philippines on Friday reported 13,177 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily infections tallied since April 2 when over 15,000 new cases were logged. This brought the nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 1,713,302.

The country’s active cases rose to 96,395, marking the first time that active cases surpassed 90,000 since April 24.

Total recoveries climbed to 1,587,069 while the death toll rose to 29,838, also the highest since April 9. –KG, GMA News