Sunday lockdown in Pampanga town

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines  –  A town in this province is on lockdown on Sundays as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr. signed Executive Order 23 declaring Sundays as “no movement” day while the town is under enhanced community quarantine.

Tetangco said residents are allowed to go out only in case of emergency.

The public market is closed on Sundays to discourage movement of residents even as essential establishments, such as drugstores, supermarkets and health facilities, are open until 2 p.m.

“We limit the movement of people as much as we can... Holders of modified quarantine passes can purchase their needs during their designated market day, which is twice a week for all barangays. Other than that, a strict curfew for 24 hours  must be observed,” Tetangco said.

More patients recover

Meanwhile, seven more persons infected with COVID-19 in Nueva Ecija have recovered.

The total number of recoveries in the province is now 26 while the number of fatalities remain at three.

In Bulacan, three more COVID-19 patients have recovered, bringing the number of recoveries to 30, the Bulacan provincial health office reported yesterday.

There has been no new case and fatality in the province since Monday.

Thirty-year-old nurse Jonover David was discharged from the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center yesterday.

Baguio City has 30 confirmed cases, with a recovery rate of 50 percent.

In Zamboanga peninsula, the number of cases rose to 66 after 47 more inmates and two personnel of the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center (CRC)  tested positive for the virus.

Joshua Brillantes, Department of Health assistant regional director, said three new fatalities were also reported.

Chief Inspector Nathanel Aljas, CRC warden, said 44 of those who tested positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic.

In Pangasinan, the provincial government said it is targeting 4,000 people during its mass testing from May 5 to 9. – Roel Pareño, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Eva Visperas, Artemio Dumla