18 LGUs classified as COVID-19 high-risk areas — OCTA Research

MANILA, Philippines — Eighteen local government units (LGUs) in the country have been classified as “high-risk” areas due to high daily case load, attack rate, or high hospitalization occupancy, the OCTA Research, a group of experts monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the country, disclosed.

Based on the monitoring report of OCTA Research dated October 26, 2020 and released to the media on Tuesday, October 27, the following local government units were marked as high-risk or areas of concern for COVID-19:

Metro Manila

– Pasay

– Makati

– Pasig

– Mandaluyong

Rest of Luzon

– Baguio City, Benguet

– Itogon, Benguet

– Calamba, Laguna

– Angono, Rizal

– Cainta, Rizal

– Taytay, Rizal

– Lucena, Quezon

– Ilagan, Isabela

– Batangas City, Batangas

– General Trias, Cavite

Visayas

– Iloilo City, Iloilo

– San Carlos City, Negros Occidental

Mindanao

– Davao City, Davao Del Sur

– Butuan City, Agusan Del Norte

“We are concerned that these LGUs may experience high hospital burden in the coming weeks that may stress their healthcare systems and overwhelm their medical frontliners,” the OCTA Research said.

The group urged LGUs especially in high-risk areas to further intensify efforts at testing, tracing, and isolation of people to reverse the increase of coronavirus transmission at the community level.

Moreover, the group said more aggressive and effective localized lockdowns with stricter border controls is urgently needed to suppress further viral transmissions in identified high-risk areas.

“To this end, we reiterate the need for the national and the local governments to strictly monitor and enforce compliance with minimum health standards such as physical distancing, the wearing of face masks and face shields and proper hygiene to reverse the increase in transmissions at the community level,” it added.

JPV