NCR+ still on ECQ status until April 11

MANILA: According to the announcement of Malacañang last April 3, an extension for another week, beginning today, April 5, has been imposed for the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) classification in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble, which comprises  Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, and Metro Manila.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the ECQ extension was done in accordance to the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

He explained, “Nag-rekomenda po ang IATF na pahabain pa ang enhanced community quarantine ng minimum ng isang linggo sa buong Metro Manila at mga probinsya ng Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite at Rizal (The IATF recommended the extension of the enhanced community quarantine for a minimum of one week in Metro Manila and provinces of Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal).” 

He added that local government units (LGUs) in NCR Plus were ordered to intensify the "prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate" (PDITR) efforts. 

Roque said, “Nire-require po natin ngayon na magkaroon ng daily monitoring ang mga lokal na pamahalaan, ang ating NTF (National Task Force) czars para po malaman natin kung ano ang resulta ng pina-igting natin na PDITR (We are requiring the local governments and our NTF czars to conduct daily monitoring in order for us to know the outcome of implementing intensified PDITR).”

He explained that LGUs must also guarantee the stringent implementation of health and quarantine measures and be more vigilant on quarantine violators.

The quarantine classification may be lowered to modified ECQ  (MECQ) one week after PDITR protocols can help slow down COVID-19 cases. 

Based on a report that OCTA Research issued last April 2, the average new daily cases of COVID-19 decreased in NCR Plus following ECQ enforcement. 

OCTA Research discovered that the infection growth rate of COVID-19 in NCR Plus decreased to “40 percent or less” — an indication that government actions, particularly the implementation of ECQ, “were effective in slowing the growth of the pandemic.” 

Furthermore, modified ECQ is currently enforced in Quirino Province and in Santiago City, Isabela until April 15 and 30, respectively. 

General community quarantine (GCQ) is imposed in Lanao del Sur, Davao City, Iligan City, Tacloban City, Batangas, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Cagayan, and in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). 

Meanwhile, the rest of the country is under the more relaxed quarantine classification, modified GCQ (MGCQ).

According to the Department of Health (DOH) report, recoveries have reached 604,905 or 77.2% of the total confirmed cases after 599 new survivors, last Saturday. 

A total of 12,576 additional cases was also recorded, which brought the total number of cases to 784,043. The death toll increased to 13,423 or 1.71% of the total cases after 103 new fatalities were reported. 

Photos from the Department of Transportation

Also read: DOTr releases ECQ public transport guidelines in NCR+