Fresh COVID-19 cases in the city of Malabon tripled from July 23 to 29, according to a report on Friday, July 30, by pandemic research group Octa. 

The city of 375,000 people grappled with 51 new coronavirus infections in the last week of July, compared to the 17 cases the previous week. The 200% jump – classified by Octa as “critical” – was the highest percentage rise for the said period among the 50 cities that recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases.

The spike coincided with the local government unit’s confirmation on Wednesday, July 28, that the highly infectious Delta variant has been detected in the city.

Malabon Public Information Officer Bong Padua told Rappler that four contacts of the asymptomatic Delta variant-positive patient also tested positive for the coronavirus, but it was  not yet determined whether they were carriers of the highly infectious variant.

“May na-trace pa na ka-close contact na 14 katao. Naka-isolate sila, pina-quarantine sila ng 14 days, tapos tsaka sila isa-swab,” he said on Friday, July 30.

(Fourteen other people were traced as close contacts. They will be quarantined for 14 days and will then be subjected to swab testing.)

Aside from Malabon, new cases in Metro Manila’s other small cities namely Navotas and San Juan also doubled from the previous week.

A dozen other Philippine cities recorded what Octa classified as a “high” one-week growth rate in COVID-19 cases, including Makati, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and Mandaluyong in the National Capital Region (NCR); Meycauayan and Malolos in Bulacan; and Roxas City, Mandaue, Talisay, and Cebu City in the Visayas.

The highly populous areas of Quezon City, Cebu City, and Davao City topped the list in terms of most number of new coronavirus infections recorded during the same period. 

Many areas in the Philippines face upgraded lockdown classifications in August to address the threat of the Delta variant.

Among them was Metro Manila, which would be placed under enhanced community quarantine – the strictest form of lockdown under the Duterte administration – from August 6 to 20. Cagayan De Oro would also be under ECQ from August 1 to 7.

Cebu City and Mandaue City would have a modified ECQ from August 1 to 15, while Davao city would be under a general community quarantine with heightened restrictions during the same period. – Rappler.com