Quezon gov sees alarming trend in rise of COVID-19 cases, declares ‘total lockdown’

LUCENA CITY—The provincial government ordered a “total lockdown” of the province starting on Thursday (April 9) as the number of COVID-19 cases, though low compared to other areas, continued to rise.

A note issued by Gov. Danilo Suarez to all mayors and members of the Inter Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 in the province said the total lockdown would be in effect starting at 12:01 a.m. on April 9.

Suarez said it meant stricter enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine that’s in effect in the entire island of Luzon. A copy of the governor’s directive was posted on the Facebook page of Mayor Webster Letargo, of Gumaca town.

“The consistent increase of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in our province is already alarming,” Suarez said in his note.

On Wednesday, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) recorded another confirmed coronavirus carrier bringing the total number of validated cases to 19.

At least three of the COVID-19 patients have died, which meant the current number of carriers was down to 16–seven in Lucena, two each in Tayabas City, Sariaya and Unisan towns and one each in the towns of Sampaloc, Tiaong and Candelaria.

Also on Wednesday, the Quezon Public Information Office (QPIO) recorded the death of two persons under investigation (PUI), or those with no symptoms of COVID-19.

Of six PUI who died earlier, two had tested negative for the COVID-SARS2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Two other PUI are awaiting results of tests.

The first two fatalities, however, remained branded as PUI, not confirmed COVID-19 cases because of lack of test results.

The number of PUI in the province, according to the information office, had risen to 420 from 366 last Tuesday (April 7).

Edited by TSB