COVID-19 Positivity Rate In PH Going Down

From 20%, the percentage of those tested positive is now 6% — Dizon

- Chito A. Chavez And Jeffrey G. Damicog

The percentage of people who turned out positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) out of the total number of tests continues to decrease. This was separately disclosed by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) head Vivencio “Vince” Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the government’s COVID-19 response, on Monday.

While the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, Año said the country is right on track in curbing the dreaded disease.

Año, in an interview over ANC, said the national government expected the rise of COVID-19 positive cases with its improved and increased COVID-19 testing capability.

“Yes, as we increased our testing capacities, actually we expected that more positive will turn out. But if we look at the positivity rate, we are about five to six percent. Our target is to go to around three percent and probably one percent,” Año said.

“What is important to look at is not the actual number of cases that are going up but the percentage of cases who turned out positive out of your total tests,” Dizon said in an interview over CNN Philippines.

“And that percentage has constantly been going down from a high of almost 20 percent in March, to now, I think, it’s down to over six percent now because of the increase in tests.” he said.

As the country aims to conduct more tests, Dizon pointed out “we are going to find more cases.”