GCQ likely to be extended in NCR for July —COVID-19 TF spox

There is "indication" that general community quarantine (GCQ) will be extended in the National Capital Region for the rest of July, the spokesperson of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 said Thursday.

Interviewed on GMA News' Unang Balita, NTF spokesperson Restituto Padilla pointed out that there is an indication that GCQ will be maintained in the region.

“Opo [Yes],” he said when asked if GCQ is more likely to be extended in NCR.

“Ayaw ko naman pong pangunahan ang ating Pangulo pero ‘yan po ang makikitang indikasyon [I don't want to preempt our President's decision but that is the indication],” he added.

The NCR is under GCQ "with some restrictions" until Thursday, July 15.  Also under the same classification are Rizal and Bulacan provinces.

Padilla cited the travel ban imposed on inbound travelers from Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates and Oman amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also pointed out that even the people aged five years old and above are now allowed to go outside, he said restrictions are still in place such as requiring them to have adult supervision.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health reported that the country has 3,806 new infections, bringing the total to 1,485,457. A total of 44,408 are still active cases -- the lowest number in four months.

The death toll due to the disease is at 26,232, according to the DOH.

Also on Thursday, the OCTA Research group said the GCQ classification of NCR Plus -- or Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal -- should be extended until the end of July.

In their latest report, the independent team of experts backed the extension of the GCQ status based on a risk assessment of NCR Plus and its “low vaccination coverage and the state of COVID-19 in the regions surrounding the NCR.”

They said, “The NCR Plus would benefit from extending the GCQ status until the end of July… The extension will also prevent an NCR Plus resurgence.”

According to the latest report by the OCTA Research, the average number of new COVID-19 cases in NCR from July 6 to July 12 was 2% lower than last week’s.

The group also said the reproduction number in NCR was recorded at 0.93 over the same period. A reproduction number of one or higher is an indication of the continuous transmission of the virus.

Meanwhile, the average daily attack rate (ADAR) in the NCR was recorded at 4.59 per day per 100,000 while the positivity rate remained at 6% with 22,000 tests per day.   —KBK/RSJ, GMA News