President Rodrigo Duterte may announce the new quarantine classifications on Wednesday particularly in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Metro Manila and surrounding Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal provinces are under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until April 30 to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“Baka po si Presidente na ang mag-anunsyo dahil ang Talk to the People po ay sa Wednesday,” Malacañang said in a media briefing.
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The palace said that the implementation of new quarantine measures worked to prevent and control infections.
“Gumana po ang ating ECQ at MECQ… Pero ang kinakailangan nating masigurado, hindi masasayang ang gains,” he said.
The Philippines has surpassed the one million coronavirus cases on Monday after recording 8,929 new confirmed ases.
The total confirmed cases in the country now is at 1,006,428. There are 74,623 active cases or people currently infected by the virus.
The Department of Health said that 11,333 people have recovered from the virus bringing the total recoveries to 914,952.
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70 people have died from the virus increasing the death toll to 16,853.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque supports the extension of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine or MECQ in the NCR Plus bubble for one to two more weeks.
Duque said on Monday that the healthcare capacity has yet to significantly improve and that the utilization for intensive care units (ICU) in some cities remain at critical risk.
“Kung titingnan natin ang datos, tingin ko talagang kinakailangan ipagpatuloy ang MECQ for another week or two dahil nga ‘yung ating health system capacity, hindi masyadong nag-iimprove pa sa ngayon. Patuloy pa ring may ilang syudad ang may critical risk classification ang kanilang ICU capacity,” Duque said. (TDT)
