The quarantine status in the province of Iloilo and its highly-urbanized city has been elevated to the most restrictive enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from the more relaxed modified ECQ (MECQ), Malacañang announced yesterday.
The ECQ classification in the province and city of Iloilo will take effect “immediately” until July 31, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“The reclassification was made upon the recommendations of the Department of Health (DOH), its Technical Advisory Group, and the Technical Working Group on COVID-19 Variants,” Roque said.
He added that among the factors considered for the shift were daily attack rate of COVID-19, the utilization level of the healthcare system, and the local government’s capacity to race and isolate potential patients.
July 15 data from the DOH-6 showed that Iloilo province has 3,011 active COVID-19 cases, 350 deaths and 10,896 recoveries while Iloilo City has 1,633 active cases, 332 deaths and 10,432 recoveries.
Meanwhile, Roque also said that Antique province’s general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions status is extended until July 31.
The Palace spokesperson also clarified the quarantine restrictions for the rest of Western Visayas following confusion with his announcement on Thursday afternoon.
Bacolod City, Capiz and Aklan were under GCQ with heightened restrictions until July 22, while Negros Occidental and Guimaras stay under GCQ for the rest of July. (With a report from PNA)/WDJ