MANILA — Metro Manila's COVID-19 positivity rate rose to 9.2 percent from 7.8 percent in the past week, a think tank said Thursday.

Should the COVID-19 case trend continue, the capital region may experience a new wave of infections, according to Dr. Guido David of OCTA Research.

Positivity rate refers to the percentage of COVID-19 tests that come out positive.

"Hindi naman siya nakaalarma pa at this level at hindi pa naman natin alam kung magtutuloy-tuloy ito," Guido said in a televised briefing.

To date, Metro Manila is averaging 260 daily coronavirus infections.

David warned that COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila may reach up to 400 per day by the end of November. It may further increase by December, he added.

The increase in COVID-19 cases may possibly be due to the omicron subvariant BQ.1, which is currently driving an uptick in cases in parts of the world.

"May possibility na baka ito iyong binabantayan natin, iyong BQ subvariant na kumakalat sa US at kumalat din sa Europe," David said.

"We should also note na may pagtaas ng cases sa China and sa Japan and other countries. So, it’s not ano, parang hindi nalalayo na baka magkaroon ng wave nga dito sa ating bansa," he said.

NCR weekly positivity rate spiked up from 7.4% to 9.2%. Unless these trends do not progress, we could be seeing the start of another wave of infections in the NCR (similar to what we saw in June). Stay safe everyone #COVID19 #COVID @dzbb @DZAR1026 @dzrhnews @News5PH @dwiz882 pic.twitter.com/wR4U9XVQnU

— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) November 23, 2022

Aside from Metro Manila, other areas have also noted an increase in cases, including Aklan, Cordillera Region, Camarines Sur, Isabela, La Union, Misamis Oriental, and Tarlac.

Despite this, David said the hospitalization rate for COVID-19 cases has remained low.

According to the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines, private hospitals across the country have yet to feel the effects of the rising positivity rate as utilization rate remains low.

"Karamihan po sa ating mga nagpa-positive whether ito po’y registered or not ay hindi po sila nagpapa-admit talaga unless mayroon po silang mga comorbidities," PHAPI President Dr. Jose Rene De Grano said in the same briefing.

"So, kahit po siguro tumaas iyong positivity rate, hindi po ramdam ito ng ating mga pribadong hospitals," he added.

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— With a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News