MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal or the so-called 'NCR plus' for a minimum of one week.
In a public address aired Saturday evening, April 3, on state-run PTV-4, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to extend ECQ in NCR Plus from April 5 until April 11.
The announcement was made a day before the expiration of the imposed ECQ, the most restrictive community quarantine classification, in Greater Manila Area.
Quarantine status in other areas
Earlier, Duterte put Santiago City in Isabela and Quirino province under modified ECQ from April 1 to 30 and April 1 to 15, respectively.
Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City, and Lanao del Sur are under GCQ until April 30.
All other areas in the Philippines are under modified GCQ, the least restrictive quarantine status, for the entire April.
COVID-19 surge
On Saturday, the Philippines logged 12,576 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total case count to 771,497.
There were also 434 new recoveries raising the total to 604,368 or 78.3 percent of 784,043 confirmed infections.
Some 103 fatalities were added to the 13,423 total.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the numbers will rise as rapid antigen testing will be used for those with symptoms, those who were exposed to a patient, or close contacts of confirmed cases in NCR Plus.
The upward trend in COVID-19 cases is also driven by new variants.
Surges worldwide
Apart from the Philippines, other countries have been forced to reinforce tougher measures against COVID-19 due to the sudden surge in infections. These include France, Canada, India, Japan, and Germany.
— The Summit Express
In a public address aired Saturday evening, April 3, on state-run PTV-4, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to extend ECQ in NCR Plus from April 5 until April 11.
The announcement was made a day before the expiration of the imposed ECQ, the most restrictive community quarantine classification, in Greater Manila Area.
Quarantine status in other areas
Earlier, Duterte put Santiago City in Isabela and Quirino province under modified ECQ from April 1 to 30 and April 1 to 15, respectively.
Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City, and Lanao del Sur are under GCQ until April 30.
All other areas in the Philippines are under modified GCQ, the least restrictive quarantine status, for the entire April.
COVID-19 surge
On Saturday, the Philippines logged 12,576 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total case count to 771,497.
There were also 434 new recoveries raising the total to 604,368 or 78.3 percent of 784,043 confirmed infections.
Some 103 fatalities were added to the 13,423 total.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the numbers will rise as rapid antigen testing will be used for those with symptoms, those who were exposed to a patient, or close contacts of confirmed cases in NCR Plus.
The upward trend in COVID-19 cases is also driven by new variants.
Surges worldwide
Apart from the Philippines, other countries have been forced to reinforce tougher measures against COVID-19 due to the sudden surge in infections. These include France, Canada, India, Japan, and Germany.
— The Summit Express
