Metro lockdown eased; India ban extended
By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporters
President Rodrigo R. Duterte听on Monday night听蹿耻谤迟丑别谤听谤别濒补虫别诲听迟丑别听濒辞肠办诲辞飞苍听in Metro Manila and a nearby province听amid easing coronavirus infections,听and kept听the travel ban on听India听and its neighbors to prevent the entry of a more contagious variant.听
The National Capital Region and the province of Bulacan would be placed under a general community quarantine 鈥渨ith some restrictions鈥 from June 16 to June 30,听he听said in a televised meeting with the Cabinet.听
The President also extended the travel ban on travelers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal,听迟丑别听United Arab Emirates and Oman听until the end of the month, his spokesman said in a separate statement.听
Gyms and food establishments in Metro Manila and Bulacan would be allowed to operate at 30% of their capacity, presidential听spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr.听said, he said at the meeting.听
Businesses with听a safety seal would be听given 10% additional capacity听incentivized with an additional 10% venue capacity.听
The President said the provinces of Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite would remain under a general quarantine 鈥渨ith heightened restrictions.鈥听
Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Abra, and Benguet in听northern Philippines听will听be under a general quarantine, as well as听Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino,听Batangas and Quezon.听
Several听areas听in southern Philippines including Iligan City, Davao del Norte, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Lanao del Sur and Cotabato City听will听be under听a general quarantine.听
Mr. Duterte said all other areas would be placed under a modified lockdown.听
At the same briefing, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III听said听the use rate of hospitals in La Union, Tarlac, Cavite, Rizal, Benguet and听Agusan听Del Sur听had听exceeded critical levels.听
Philippine authorities earlier said the southern and central parts of the Philippines were experiencing a听fresh听surge in coronavirus infections.听
The Department of Health听(DoH)听reported 6,426 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 1.32 million.听
The death toll rose by 57 to 22,845, while recoveries increased by 7,145 to 1.24 million, it said in a bulletin.听
There were 59,096 active cases, 1.3% of which were critical, 91.8% were mild, 3.9% did not show symptoms, 1.8% were severe and 1.28% were moderate.听
The agency said 12 duplicates had been removed from the tally, nine of which were tagged as recoveries听and 10听recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Ten laboratories failed to submit data on June 12.听
The coronavirus has sickened about 176.7 million and killed 3.8 million people worldwide, according to 迟丑别听Worldometers听website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.听
About 160.8 million people have recovered, it said.听
鈥楽ERIOUS CONCERN鈥听
Meanwhile, Dumaguete City in central Philippines is the 鈥渁rea of most serious concern鈥 outside Metro Manila, according to听the University of the Philippines OCTA Research Group.听
In听a听report,听researches听said听coronavirus infections there had more than听迟丑别听doubled in the past week, while 迟丑别听average daily attack rate听was听69.85听for a population of听100,000听people. Dumaguete is听鈥渆xtremely high risk.鈥听
OCTA also noted that听迟丑别听hospital bed occupancy听rate听in the city听was听at 68%, while听84% of听intensive care unit beds听had been used.听
Other areas of concern due to increasing cases, high hospital occupancy and high average daily attack rate听were the cities of听Iloilo, Butuan, Tacloban and听the municipality of听Polomolok in South Cotabato.听
Tagum City, Legazpi City and听Tagbilaran听City were also flagged as emerging hotspots due to rising infections.听
Intensive care unit occupancy in Davao City, Iloilo City, General Santos,听Tuguegarao City and Koronadal were at critical levels听of more than听85%.听
Earlier on Monday,听Mr. Roque said the government听would study the reopening of leisure establishments such as cinemas and amusement parks.听
About 58% of intensive care unit beds in the country had听been used as of June 13, Mr. Roque said.听
About 48% of isolation beds and 47% of ward beds have been occupied, while听36% of ventilators have been听used.听About 46% of ICU beds in the capital region have been occupied.听
The palace official said听37% of isolation beds and 32% of ward beds have been used,听while听32% of ventilators have been听used.听
Mr. Roque said 4.6% of the 59,865 active听coronavirus听cases as of June 13听had been听isolated. The听death rate听was 1.73%, while the recovery rate was 93.7%, he added.听
Also on Monday, Metro Manila Development Authority Benjamin de Castro Abalos, Jr. said听mayors听in the capital region听had voted听to shorten听their听curfew hours.听
The improving coronavirus situation in the country鈥檚 key economic hub prompted听metro chiefs to adjust the curfew hours to 12 am to 4听a.m., which will take effect starting听June 15.听
