The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has placed Iloilo City under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9.
“Upon the appeal of the local government unit of Iloilo City, citing the sudden increase of confirmed cases in their jurisdiction, the city of Iloilo shall be placed under [MECQ],” IATF Resolution No. 74 read.
Prior to the IATF decision, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas recommended the 7-day suspension of inbound flights for locally stranded individuals and returning overseas Filipinos.
“This will give us time to attend to the rising cases,” he said.
As of Sept. 23, 2,062 Covid-19 cases have been recorded in the city, of which 436 were active.
IATF and Palace spokesman Harry Roque also announced that facility-based isolation would be made mandatory for asymptomatic and mild Covid-19 cases, with the exception of the following:
- the patient is considered vulnerable or having comorbidities and that his/her home meets the conditions specified in the Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government Joint Administrative Order 2020-0001, as confirmed by the local health officer
- when the Ligtas Covid-19 Centers within the region are fully occupied and the local government unit does not have sufficient isolation facilities.
Until Sept. 31, Iligan City, Bacolod City and Lanao del Sur will remain under enhanced community quarantine; Metro Manila, Bulacan, Batangas and Tacloban City will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ); and the rest of the country will be under modified GCQ.
New classifications are expected to be released before October when the country shifts to the third phase of its National Action Plan against Covid-19. John Ezekiel J. Hirro