QUEZON, Isabela—A seven-day extension of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) loomed in Tabuk City, Kalinga province after officials there recommended it to curb a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Tabuk Mayor Darwin Estranero on Thursday (Feb. 4) said the ECQ extension from Feb. 8-14 was necessary since the city was still experiencing an “alarming” spike in infections.
ECQ is the most restrictive form of community quarantine which requires people to stay at home unless for trips to stores for necessities.
The recommendation has been relayed by the Tabuk City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to the city’s provincial and regional counterparts.
In a meeting with IATF members, Dr. Henrietta Bagayao, Tabuk City health officer, said the city has 254 active COVID-19 cases. The city government had recorded 669 infections since the pandemic began.
Local quarantine facilities were nearing full capacity as more and more people are getting infected, according to the mayor.