Palace: NCR's average daily new COVID-19 cases jumped by 65% ahead of ECQ

Malacañang on Tuesday said the average daily number of new COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) has increased by 65% this week, ahead of the August 6 to 20 reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the average daily number of new COVID-19 cases in NCR soared to 1,535 during the July 27 to August 2 period, compared to the 928 during the July 20 to 26 period.

Metro Manila also posted a daily average of 710 new COVID-19 cases from July 13 to 19, an increase from 639 recorded from July 6 to 12.

The NCR reached its highest average daily number of new COVID-19 cases during the March 29 to April 4 period at 5,532 cases. The region was under
ECQ -- the strictest quarantine protocol -- from March 29 to April 11.

For her part, Dr. Alethea De Guzman, OIC-Director of the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau said the average cases per day in NCR is at 1,596 from the period of July 28 to August 3, which is 65% higher than the previous week of July 21 to 27 of 967 cases.

In an online town hall session, De Guzman said the DOH identified Malabon and Pateros cities to be at critical risk case classification for COVID cases, while the cities of Makati, San Juan, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, Mandaluyong, Valenzuela, Pasig, Manila, Taguig, and Quezon City were under high risk classification.

Marikina and Caloocan City are classified to be at moderate risk.

De Guzman added they are flagging the cities of Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Quezon City to have high to critical risk ICU utilization rates.

The government said it will spend P13 billion for cash grant for Metro Manila’s low-income families to tide them over while the two-week ECQ is in effect.

The ECQ protocol only allows essential trips and essential services to operate. Likewise, only employees working in essential sectors such as food and medicine, among others, are allowed to physically report to work.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año earlier in the day said the August 6-20 ECQ in NCR will be "stricter" compared to the previous ECQs.

“Mas mahigpit tayo ngayong ECQ na 'to. Ang tawag nga natin hard lockdown… Kung may makikita diyan [na violator], talagang aarestuhin ng ating mga pulis,” he told Unang Balita.

(The ECQ now will be stricter. We call it a hard lockdown. The police will arrest violators of health protocols.)

During the two-week ECQ, around 4 million vaccines are targeted to be administered in the NCR, according to Año.

The capacity of healthcare facilities such as intensive care units and isolation centers will also be enhanced to accommodate more COVID-19 patients.

Contract tracing and isolation of COVID-19 cases will be improved during the two-week hard lockdown.  — with Jamil Santos/KBK/RSJ, GMA News