Iloilo province, Iloilo City, CDO, Gingoog placed under ECQ until July 31

The government’s COVID-19 task force has placed Iloilo province and the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, and Gingoog under enhanced community quarantine to curb the spread of COVID-19, Malacañang announced Friday.

These areas will be under the strictest movement restrictions until July 31.

Misamis Oriental and Antique, meanwhile, will be under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions until the end of the month.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the reclassification was made upon the recommendations of the Department of Health and its technical advisory group, as well as the Technical Working Group on COVID-19 Variants.

In a separate statement, Roque said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would provide augmentation support to local government units (LGUs) adversely affected by the latest imposition of ECQ.

He said the DSWD Field Office 6 was coordinating with the LGUs to determine how many families within the ECQ areas are affected and eligible to receive aid.

The department is also coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the provision of air and other logistical assets for the immediate distribution of family food packs to LGUs under ECQ .

“This augmentation support is on top of the stockpiles and food packs, which concerned LGUs can provide,” Roque said.

Roque also asked the public to get vaccinated and strictly adhere to the minimum public health standards.

The Philippines reported 5,221 new infections on Thursday, bringing the total caseload to 1,490,665. Eighty-two new fatalities brought the death toll to 26,314.—AOL, GMA News