Manila, Taguig villages placed under ECQ

SEVERAL villages in Manila and Taguig cities were placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) because of surging coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

In Manila, three villages in Tondo and Pandacan will be locked down beginning Thursday, June 18, until Saturday, June 20.

“The local government will do targeted testing while the 48- hour ECQ is going on to avoid the continuous spread of Covid- 19 to these barangay (village),” said Mayor Francisco Domagoso.

“We are asking for your cooperation and understanding; let us fight Covid- 19 together,” he added.

The city government said the areas that would be locked down are Barangay 60 and 163 in Tondo, and Barangay 844 in Pandacan.

In Taguig City, three areas in Barangay Lower Bicutan were also placed under ECQ for 15 days because of the “clustering” of coronavirus cases.

In a statement on Wednesday, the city government said Purok 5 and 6 of Lower Bicutan would be under ECQ from 6 p. m. on Wednesday, June 17, to 6 p.m. on July 1, as recommended by the City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit.

Meanwhile, the ECQ in Purok 4 will start on Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m., and will also end at 6 p.m. on July 1.

Under the localized lockdown, the movement of residents in the two areas will be restricted. They will only be allowed to purchase essential goods.

But employees of establishments providing essential goods and services who reside in Purok 5 and 6 will be allowed to go to work.

While the lockdown is in effect, the government vowed to do contact tracing to identify possible coronavirus- infected patients.

Those who have signs and symptoms of the coronavirus were urged to contact their village health center at 0927-6331095, 0961-734-0881 and 0961734-0852.

As of June 16, the city had 573 confirmed coronavirus cases.