KORONADAL CITY –– The South Cotabato province reverted on Wednesday to the more restrictive general community quarantine (GCQ) status as cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) soars.
Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. said the imposition of GCQ measures would be up to the end of September.
Tamayo attributed the recent surge in cases to local transmission.
Tamayo said the continuing rise of COVID-19 cases in the province has reached an alarming stage in the last few weeks due to the easing of restrictions on the movement of people within the province and the region.
“The worsening COVID-19 local community transmission has started wreaking havoc to our health systems and our medical health workers and front-liners,” he said in the order placing the province under GCQ.
As of 6 p.m. Thursday, September 15, South Cotabato recorded 309 COVID-19 cases, the highest in Region 12, the Department of Health office reported.
It was followed by General Santos City with 189, Cotabato City with 143, Sarangani with 118, Sultan Kudarat with 96, and Cotabato with 89.
The total COVID-19 cases in Region 12, also known as Soccsksargen, stood at 944 with 500 active cases and 17 deaths.
Tamayo said the delivery of essential goods would be allowed, with just the driver and one truck helper, while inter-provincial public transport services would be suspended for the duration of the GCQ.