Philippines Relaxes Lockdown in Manila and Surrounding Provinces

(Bloomberg) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte relaxed a lockdown in the Manila region and four neighboring provinces as hospitals added capacity for patients infected by the coronavirus.

The national capital region and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite will be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine from April 12 until the end of the month, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Sunday. Private and public hospitals have added 3,156 beds for Covid-19 patients, he said.

Metro Manila and the four surrounding provinces were placed under enhanced community quarantine, the nation’s most stringent movement restriction, for two weeks through April 11 as a record surge in cases filled some hospitals and left others operating at near capacity.

Under the less restrictive curbs, people are still required to stay home but more businesses will be allowed to operate, while on limits on those that have remained open will be eased, according to government guidelines.

Other areas that have also been placed under the modified quarantine are Santiago City in Isabela and the provinces of Quirino and Abra, Roque said. Other provinces are subject to less restrictive measures.

The Philippines has reported 864,868 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 14,945 deaths.

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