Manila locks down 16 more barangays as Covid-19 cases spike

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MANILA, Philippines — Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno on Sunday placed 16 more barangays under a four-day lockdown as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country’s capital.

Moreno declared these barangays as “critical zones” after he signed Executive Order No. 11, which mandates a rapid response operation to contain the resurgence and spread of the virus.

“Mahigit 10 ang kanilang impeksyon sa kanilang barangay. Upang patuloy na maproteksyonan ang adjacent barangay, tayo po ay naga-apply ng circuit breaker concept or what you call granular lockdown,” he said during his mayoral address.

(These barangays have more than 10 infections. To protect adjacent barangays, we are applying a circuit breaker concept or a granular lockdown.)

The following areas will be placed under lockdown starting Mar. 24 until Saturday, Mar. 27:

• Barangay 1
• Barangay 50
• Barangay 106
• Barangay 109
• Barangay 184
• Barangay 192
• Barangay 209
• Barangay 296
• Barangay 493
• Barangay 515
• Barangay 586
• Barangay 636
• Barangay 669
• Barangay 790
• Barangay 883
• Barangay 875

The Manila mayor issued the executive order after the Manila Health Department (MHD) recommended that these areas be locked down to conduct disease surveillance and massive contact tracing activities.

All residents of these areas shall be strictly confined to their residences and are prohibited from going outside their homes, according to Moreno.

The order, however, exempts health workers, military personnel, service workers (pharmacies, drug stores, and funeral homes), utility workers (energy, cable, internet, telecommunication companies, water, sanitation, and critical transport facilities including port operation).

Essential workers (goods delivery, food delivery, banking and money services), barangay officials (chairpersons, barangay secretary, barangay treasurers, kagawads, and executive officers) as well as media practitioners accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Inter-Agency Task Force will also be exempted.

“Station Commanders of Police Stations covering the said barangays are hereby directed to employ and deploy officers and personnel in strategic locations and areas necessary for the effective implementation of the ECQ,” the executive order read.

Earlier, the mayor also signed Executive Order No. 10, which placed 14 other barangays under a four-day lockdown starting Mar. 22 until Mar. 25.

As of Sunday, Manila logged 2,655 active COVID-19 cases, with a running total of 30,336 recoveries and 852 deaths.

JE