Luzon-wide lockdown, extended until April 30 due to increase in COVID-19 cases

The Duterte administration the extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine until April 30 to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a virtual briefing Tuesday morning, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the president accepted the Inter-agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ recommendation to extend the ECQ in Luzon.

“Our recommendation to President Duterte is accepted by the President, and he announced it last night. We verified it and the answer was the ECQ is hereby extended until 11:59 p.m. until April 30,” he said.

In a televised address on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he was “inclined” to extend the lockdown until April 30 to further stem the coronavirus outbreak.

“We are inclined to extend the lockdown up to April 30. Tingnan natin after that,” the President said.

The Luzon-wide quarantine or lockdown was originally targeted to be lifted by April 14.

Because of the lockdown, movements of over 50 million people in Luzon would still be severely restricted, with most only allowed to leave their homes for essential trips such as to buy food or medicine.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease earlier said it would listen to experts’ opinions before deciding on either lifting or extending the Luzon-wide quarantine.

The Department of Health (DOH) continued to record a rise in the number of COVID-19 patients.

As of April 6, the DOH has monitored 3,764 cases of COVID-19, 177 deaths, and 84 recoveries.