DOH warns Bicol of stricter quarantine if COVID-19 surge continued

LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol on Wednesday (April 14) urged officials to step up the campaign against COVID-19 following a surge in cases which the DOH said could raise the region’s risk classification to moderate risk.

Areas tagged as moderate risk are usually on general community quarantine (GCQ). Bicol is currently on modified GCQ.

The DOH told members of the Bicol Interagency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (BIATF) and local officials that based on a study of risk levels, the provinces of Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Albay were considered to be moderate risk and could be candidates for GCQ.

The province of Masbate was considered minimal risk and Camarines Sur and Catanduanes provinces as low-risk.

Camarines Sur has eight towns classified as high-risk areas and 17 towns, including two cities, tagged as moderate risk. Sorsogon has five areas considered as high-risk and three moderate risk.

Albay has one area considered as high risk and five areas tagged as moderate risk.

Camarines Norte and Catanduanes have one area each considered as moderate risk.

The province of Masbate has no area with risk classification.

The region saw a rapid increase in cases from March 29 to April 11 mainly due to community transmission. Infected individuals had no history of travel outside the region. The infection has swept through close contacts of infected persons, those who had travelled outside the region and frontline health and other workers.

The DOH asked local governments to enforce health protocols, improve contact tracing, lock down areas with a surge in cases and prepare quarantine facilities.

TSB