Updated @ 2:32 a.m., Wednesday, July 1, 2020
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) placed over Cebu City until July 15.
“This is the highest [level of quarantine] because there are already so many people infected [there]. As a matter of fact, we know that the hospitals and everything there are having a hard time coping up,” Duterte said, speaking partly in Filipino, in a televised address on Tuesday.
“Ang enhanced community quarantine, Cebu City. It’s only you,” he added.
Cebu City has so far recorded 5,494 COVID-19 cases with 169 deaths and 2,723 recoveries.
Last week, the President ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to oversee government efforts to fight COVID-19 in Cebu City.
Duterte also earlier attributed the spike of COVID-19 cases in the city to its “complacency.”
Nationwide, 37,514 COVID-19 cases have been recorded to date, with 1,266 deaths and 10,233 recoveries.
/atm