2 more Ilocos Sur towns placed on stricter MECQ

Vigan City in Ilocos Sur registered 31 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, May 31, and remains the epicenter of infections in the province. It is on a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine, along with the towns of San Vicente and Sta. Maria, and Candon City. (Photo courtesy of Vigan city government)

LAOAG CITY –– Two Ilocos Sur towns were the latest to be placed on a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for two weeks to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to Gov. Ryan Singson.

In an executive order, Singson said the provincial COVID-19 task force recommended imposing MECQ on San Vicente and Sta. Maria towns from May 31 to June 13.

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

Both towns were previously on modified general community quarantine, the most relaxed quarantine status.

In the past days, the towns had experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases “despite interventions and implementation of health measures,” according to Singson.

As of June 1, San Vicente and Sta. Maria have 34 and 35 active cases, respectively.

Singson also extended until June 12 the MECQ in Candon City, which was supposed to be lifted on May 29.

Ilocos Sur’s capital city of Vigan, which is also on MECQ, remained the epicenter of COVID-19 cases in the province, with 138 active cases.

Local health officials on Monday had 31 new patients in Vigan, the highest number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the province in a single day, according to Mayor Juan Carlo Medina.

As of June 1, Ilocos Sur has recorded a total of 1,914 cases since the pandemic started last year, 472 of which remain active.

LZB