11 COVID-19 patients die in Batangas; 170 new cases recorded in 3 days

LUCENA CITY — Batangas province recorded 11 more coronavirus disease (COVID-19) deaths and 170 new virus carriers in the past three days.

The Batangas Public Information Office (PIO), citing bulletins from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) from March 17 to 19, disclosed that three validated virus carriers in Batangas City and Rosario and San Pascual towns died on March 19.

On March 18, three patients also in Batangas City, four in Lipa City, and one in Mataas na Kahoy town were also added to the death toll.

The PHO report said a total of 70 COVID-19 patients passed away since the start of 2021, bringing the death toll in the province to 434. Last year, the province recorded 364 COVID-19 deaths.

Batangas has recorded 13,736 COVID-19 cases and 12,659 recoveries since the pandemic was declared last year.

From March 17 to 19, the province recorded a total of 170 new COVID-19 cases.

Currently, the province has 643 remaining active cases.

With the rise of COVID-19 cases in the province, the provincial government plans to regulate face-to-face meetings in different departments at the provincial capitol, the PIO said in a statement.

Authorities also want to require visitors of provincial officials coming from outside of the province to submit themselves to antigen test before the date of the visit to prevent the transmission of the virus, particularly the highly-contagious new variants.

According to the PIO, at least 13 towns among 34 localities in the province have already been declared as under modified general community quarantine status.

Governor Hermilando Mandanas has left to the discretion of the local governments to impose stricter rules to prevent the spread of the virus in their respective localities, particularly during the coming Holy Week.

The people were also reminded to strictly observe all safety protocols amid the continued spike of new cases.

/MUF