Davao City topped the OCTA Research list of areas outside the National Capital Region with the most number of new daily COVID-19 infections within the last week.

In its July 6 monitoring report, OCTA Research listed Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, General Santos, Cebu, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Tagum, Calamba, and Butuan as the cities outside the NCR with the most number of new COVID-19 cases daily from June 29 to July 5.

Five of the 10 cities are in four Mindanao regions: Davao and Tagum in Davao Region, General Santos in Soccsksargen, Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao, and Butuan in Caraga.

Three cities are in the Visayas: Bacolod, Iloilo, and Cebu; two others are in Luzon: Baguio and Calamba.

OCTA Research’s list, based on data obtained from the Department of Health (DOH), showed Davao City with 303 cases and a “very high” hospital intensive care unit utilization rate (ICUUR) of 90% during the period.

Tailing Davao is Bacolod with 113 cases, but its ICUUR was categorized as “low” at 61%.

Iloilo ranked third with 111 cases, and 94% ICUUR, much higher than Davao’s.

General Santos registered 76 cases, making it the city outside NCR with the fourth-highest number of new daily cases. Its ICUUR was categorized as “high” at 83%.

Cebu logged 69 new daily cases during the last week, and a “low” ICUUR of 27%.

It was closely followed by Baguio that registered 68 cases and a “moderate” ICUUR of 70%.

Cagayan de Oro, which saw surges in COVID-19 infections in May and June, was seventh in the OCTA Research list. Its new daily cases registered at 63 while its ICUUR was categorized as “moderate” during the period.

Tagum saw 47 new daily cases and an 84% ICUUR which, according to OCTA Research, was “high.”

Calamba was ninth on the list with 39 cases while Butuan had the least at 38. Butuan’s ICUUR was “low” at 69%. – Rappler.com