1 city, 5 towns in Ilocos Sur to stay under MECQ until May 5

DAGUPAN CITY –– Candon City and five towns of Ilocos Sur will still be under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 5 as the active coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases remained “relatively high.”

Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis Singson issued Executive Order 32 on Wednesday, April 21, noting that although the infections were reduced during the period of MECQ, the active cases in Candon City, and the towns of Cabugao, San Esteban, Santa, Sta. Lucia and Suyo were still a cause for concern.

“Hence there is a need to extend anew the MECQ in the said city and municipalities to contain the virus… where most of the recorded cases come from,” Singson said.

MECQ is the second most stringent quarantine classification in the country.

Despite interventions and implementation of health and safety measures, the threat of COVID-19 in the province remains at an alarming level as there are still 157 active cases, the governor said.

Local transmission of the virus in the towns, full occupancy of isolation facilities, absence of level 3 hospitals, and a decreasing health workforce in the province exacerbate the situation, he said.

LZB