News Roundup 03 August 2020
Aug 03, 2020 • 3 min Read
3,226 COVID-19 new infections push Philippines’ caseload to 106,330 | PHILSTAR.COM – Coronavirus infections in the Philippines surged past 106,000 Monday after the Department of Health reported another huge increase in the number of additional cases. The Department of Health logged 3,226 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 106,330. The Philippines has the second highest number of cases in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and has had more infections than mainland China, where the pandemic emerged. The day before, the country logged a record-high 5,032 coronavirus infections. The number of active cases or patients who are currently ill stood at 38,405. Nine out of 10 active cases are considered mild. The DOH also registered 275 additional recoveries, raising the total number of COVID-19 survivors to 65,821. Recoveries accounted for 62% of the nation’s caseload. But the death toll also rose to 2,104 after 46 more patients died from the severe respiratory illness.
Duterte: No money for food, aid if Enhanced Community Quarantine declared | PHILSTAR.COM – The government cannot afford to impose a lockdown in Metro Manila as it does not have enough resources to provide food and financial aid to affected communities, President Rodrigo Duterte said. The government’s pandemic task force has tightened quarantine measures in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, placing them from general communtity quarantine (GCQ) to the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from August 4 to 18 to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The decision was made in response to the call of a group of medical frontliners to place Mega Manila, composed of Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and MIMAROPA regions, under the strictest lockdown scenario for two weeks.
Been there, done that but what’s the difference between MECQ and GCQ? | INQUIRER.NET – Barber shops have to close again and restaurants can’t offer dine-in services anymore, but nearly all businesses that ran under general community quarantine (GCQ) can still run under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). This is according to the list of businesses that could operate under the MECQ, which was provided by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday (Aug. 3) although it was the same list the DTI prepared in a circular last July 31. For the next 15 days, Metro Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal and Cavite will return to MECQ after the medical community pleaded for the much stricter ECQ for Mega Manila. But while the quarantine would now be relatively more restrictive, it is still not the lockdown that medical groups asked for.
NBI tasked to probe killings of NCMH, PCSO officials | Manila Bulletin – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been tasked to investigate the killings of the officials of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra himself gave the directive under Department Order No. 192 dated Aug. 1. In his order, the secretary instructed the NBI to conduct “investigation and case build-up” into the killings of NCMH chief Dr. Roland Cortez, his driver Ernesto dela Cruz and PCSO Board Secretary Wesley Barayuga.
No mass transportation, quarantine passes required in MECQ areas – Año | The Manila Times – Mass transportation is prohibited and quarantine passes are required in areas placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday. “Galing naman tayo dito sa MECQ before so ganun din naman yung ipapatupad natin starting midnight tonight [We came from MECQ before so what we will enforce is the same starting midnight tonight],” Año said in a radio interview Only shuttle services, bikes, and motorcycles will be allowed on the road while tricycles will be subjected to the guidelines of their respective local government units (LGUs). Only Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) are allowed to travel, as quarantine passes would be required again.
