Average weekly COVID-19 cases are going down in Metro Manila, but it would help if the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) would be extended, an OCTA Research fellow told dzBB.

''It would help if it is extended,'' said Guido David as dzBB asked him if a two-week extension is needed as government will evaluate if MECQ would be retained in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite.

David said average seven-day cases in Metro Manila was at 2, 347 and the reproductive rate has done down to 0.69. "This is still the effect of the previous enhanced community quarantine and MECQ'', he said.

But, David said there are still a lot of COVID-19 patients and severe and critical cases remain high.

The Department of Health, in its Saturday report, said use of ICU beds by COVID-19 patients is at 67 percent. Last week, it was around 70 percent.

Severe and critical cases are 1.6 percent and 1.2 percent respectively of active cases, the DOH added.

''ICU occupancy in the NCR is still high. In fact, it has not really gone down,'' said David. DMS