SAN POLICARPO, Eastern Samar, Philippines — This coastal town in Eastern Samar, which remains free of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19, has been on lockdown in the past three days.
Mayor Thelma Uy-Nicart ordered the lockdown to prevent residents from celebrating the town fiesta and the entry of people from other areas.
At least 20 personnel of the Eastern Samar police were deployed to help enforce the lockdown.
The town celebrated its town fiesta yesterday in honor of St. Mary Magdalene.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases in Eastern Visayas is now 695, with 20 new cases recorded on Tuesday.
In Baguio City, the public market is closed for three days until tomorrow to pave the way for disinfection.
The city logged 14 new cases in the past week, three of them reportedly originated from the market.
Baby infected
In Pangasinan, a five-month-old baby boy is among the new cases.
At least 162 cases were recorded in the province, 33 of them in Dagupan City.
Four members of a family, all locally stranded individuals who arrived in Solana, Cagayan from Taguig City yesterday, tested positive for the virus.
Batanes and Quirino in Cagayan Valley remain COVID-free, but the region with its 239 cases has the most number of infections in Northern Luzon.
Ilocos logged 223 cases while the Cordilleras recorded 168.
In Bulacan, the number of confirmed cases nears 1,000 as 58 new cases were recorded on Tuesday.
Swab tests
As this developed, Eduardo Janairo, Department of Health (DOH)-Calabarzon director, said all their employees would undergo swab tests.
Janairo said COVID-19 has infected 5,574 people in the region as of Monday.
Glen Ramos, DOH-Calabarzon spokesman, said the tests would ensure early detection of cases and isolation of those who will be found infected with the virus.
Calabarzon ranks third on the list of regions with the highest number of cases after Metro Manila and Central Visayas.– Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Eva Visperas, Ed Amoroso