35 villages in Pampanga’s capital to enforce control points, liquor ban amid COVID-19 surge

Police officers stop a car for inspection at the North Luzon Expressway entry in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga province. (Photo from the Pampanga Police Provincial Office)

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga––The City of San Fernando has started implementing stricter measures to stop the rise in COVID-19 cases, the city government announced Wednesday, Aug. 18.

Mayor Edwin Santiago issued an executive order directing the city police and village chiefs to set up control points in all 35 villages in the city, strictly implement the curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and enforce a liquor ban.

“COVID-19 cases and deaths in the City of San Fernando continue to rise in the past weeks, with an average of 62 cases per day and an increased mortality rate of 3 percent from [Aug. 3-16], thereby proving also the need for stricter implementation of the measures and health protocols implemented in the city,” Santiago said in his order.

The mayor said religious gatherings in this city shall be limited to 30 percent of the venue’s seating capacity, while malls could accommodate only 50 percent of their operational capacity.

Santiago said restaurants may accept only 30 percent and 50 percent for dine-in and al fresco, respectively.

Wakes for deaths not related to COVID-19 are limited to two days and can be attended only by members of the immediate families residing in Pampanga.

Those who died from COVID-19 must be cremated or buried within 12 hours, Santiago said.

On Wednesday, San Fernando recorded 61 new COVID-19 cases, 35 recoveries, and the death of a patient from Dela Paz Norte village.

Data showed that the number of the city’s active cases has climbed to 1,128 on the same day.

Since the pandemic began last year, the city registered 7,152 cases, of which 5,808 have recovered, and 216 have died.

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