Aggressive contact tracing and testing continue in Ilocos Norte amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte provincial government)
LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Twelve more deaths due to COVID-19 were added to the tally of the province on Thursday, September 23, according to the data from the provincial government.
The figure now brought to 367 the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the province since the pandemic began last year.
Some 87 new cases were also recorded on the same day while 128 had recovered, the provincial government said.
The national task force against COVID-19 had downgraded the quarantine status of the province to general community quarantine (GCQ), the second least restrictive containment classification in the country, beginning Friday, September 24.
Ilocos Norte was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine, the second most restrictive classification, on August 16 as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 cases which had been fueled by the Delta variant.
The weekly recorded average of new COVID-19 cases had plateaued from August 6-13 as it dropped from 273.6 cases to 90 cases during the period of Sept. 10 to 17, according to the provincial government.
Under GCQ, most of the quarantine restrictions would be lifted, allowing businesses to operate at a 30- to 50-percent capacity. INQ