The country logged an all-time high of 19,441 COVID-19 cases Saturday as the government extended the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine status of Metro Manila until September 7.
The new infections brought the nationwide tally to 1,935,700. The previous highest daily count recorded was on Monday, Aug. 23, at 18,332 cases.
Active cases stood at 142,679—the highest since April 17.
“We expect the number of cases will continue to increase in the coming days,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Aside from Metro Manila, the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bataan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Aklan and Iloilo as well as the cities of Lucena, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu, Mandaue, and Cagayan de Oro would also be under MECQ from Sept. 1 to 7.
On the other hand, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Quezon and Batangas in Region 4-A, and Naga City for Luzon; Antique, Bacolod City and Capiz in Region 6, Cebu Province and Negros Oriental in Region 7 for the Visayas; Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental and Davao de Oro in Region 11 and Butuan City for Mindanao shall be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.
Granular lockdowns loom next week
NCR mayors and the Philippine National Police are now preparing for granular lockdowns – a strict quarantine limited to streets or barangays aimed at containing infection clusters.
“We hope the reproduction rate will decrease so we will not have too many cases, but as it is right now, the mayors are preparing for granular lockdowns,” Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. said.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said he has already tasked police commanders to coordinate with local government units for the possible implementation of granular lockdowns next week.
“This is just a proposal for now but it would be better to prepare ahead to avoid confusion, which may result in misunderstanding,” Eleazar said.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said the government is considering granular lockdowns where only health workers will be allowed to leave their homes. Even authorized persons outside residence (APORs) will be prohibited from leaving their homes.
‘Vax as One’
Meanwhile, local government units in Metro Manila have started inoculating residents of neighboring provinces in line with the “Vax as One” concept, opening their COVID-19 vaccination sites to areas outside the region.
Abalos said the priority areas in the program would be the four nearby provinces of Cavite, Bulacan, Rizal, and Laguna.
“Considering that each LGUs have established effective vaccination sites and highly trained manpower and that some LGUs have almost hit their targets, they have decided to accept more non-residents in their vaccination operations. All would be by schedule, and strictly no walk-ins allowed,” he said.
Courts in MECQ areas to remain closed
All courts in Metro Manila and other areas under MECQ will remain physically closed until Sept. 7, the high court said Saturday.
Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said courts, except the Supreme Court, shall be “physically closed to court users for the duration of the MECQ,” and will operate online and conduct videoconferencing hearings only for “urgent incidents.”
Urgent incidents include applications for bail, releases due to dismissal of cases or acquittal, habeas corpus, and applications for temporary protection orders for Violence Against Women and Children cases, among others.
