MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has noted an increase of COVID-19 cases in five regions aside from Metro Manila.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire identified these regions as Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
“Noong nag-umpisa ang NCR Plus bubble, nakita na rin natin na medyo tumataas na doon sa ibang lugar, and as of yesterday nakita natin, meron tayong mga rehiyon katulad ng Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, 4A and CAR na meron na talagang pagtaas ng kaso sa kani-kanilang lugar,” she said in an online press briefing.
(When the NCR Plus bubble started, we also saw an increasing number of cases in other areas. As of yesterday we saw an increase in Region 1, 2, 3, 4A, and CAR.)
“Their healthcare utilization also is being affected as well,” she added.
To recall, Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan were considered as the “NCR Plus bubble” on March 22.
The NCR Plus was earlier placed under a two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases, but is now under modified ECQ until the end of April.
The country has so far recorded a total of 892,880 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, composed of 173,047 active cases, 704,386 recoveries, and 15,447 deaths.