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MANILA: The Philippines announced on Saturday (March 27) that more than 24 million people in and around Manila will be blocked next week as the capital’s hospitals struggle to cope with a surge in coronavirus infections.
The tighter restrictions in the economic heart of the country, which makes up about a fifth of the population, come as the most contagious variants of the virus cause a resurgence of cases.
The one-week rules announced by presidential spokesman Harry Roque apply to Metro Manila and four surrounding provinces, which have already been placed in a travel bubble to try to prevent the increase from spreading further.
“The virus is the enemy, not the government,” Roque said.
“While we are at home, we expect infection rates to decrease.”
READ: Philippines breaks daily COVID-19 record with nearly 10,000 cases
Starting Monday, people will have to work from home unless they are considered essential workers, and public transport will be stopped.
All mass gatherings will be banned, night curfews will be applied from 6 pm to 5 am, and non-essential businesses will be closed.
People will be allowed outside to exercise, but a stay-at-home order remains in effect for all children and the elderly.
Previous lockdowns have inflicted severe pain on the economy, but Roque said fewer working days next week due to Easter holidays on Thursday and Friday would limit disruptions.
New infections reached 9,595 on Saturday, the second highest in a single day since the start of the pandemic, bringing the country’s number of cases to more than 712,000.
“IT’S LIKE A WAR”
Metro Manila, where many of the more than 12 million residents live in poor and overcrowded neighborhoods, accounts for more than half of active cases despite the introduction of selective closures on streets and neighborhoods affected by the virus in recent weeks.
Independent research group OCTA, which warned that daily new infections could exceed 11,000 by the end of March, said Saturday that stricter restrictions were needed for at least two weeks to “prevent our hospitals and healthcare workers from feeling overwhelmed. “
READ: Philippines closes churches, slows travel as COVID-19 rises
READ: Manila Orders Anyone Under 18 To Stay Home As COVID-19 Cases Rise
A growing number of hospitals in the capital have reported that beds allocated for COVID-19 patients are full.
A doctor who works as a consultant in various public facilities told AFP: “It’s like a war out there.”
“People are dying at home because no one would take them in (hospitals), not even those who have money and are willing to pay,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Ambulance driver Ronald Ramos said he had seen hospital emergency rooms filled with patients waiting to be admitted to intensive care rooms and other rooms.
“Some of them are in the hallway or in front of the nurses’ station because they really have nowhere to go,” he told AFP.
The government has been affected by its handling of the pandemic and the slowness in the procurement and launch of vaccines.
Health workers and soldiers began to be beaten this month, but Roque said the elderly and people with comorbidities would also be vaccinated if doses are available.
But overcoming doubts about vaccines will be a challenge.
A new survey released by Pulse Asia on Friday showed that 61 percent of Filipinos do not want to get vaccinated against COVID-19, most of them due to safety concerns.
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