9 barangays in Bataan town locked down

MANILA, Philippines — Nine barangays in Mariveles, Bataan have been placed under a two-week lockdown starting yesterday due to an increase in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases.

Gov. Albert Garcia said Barangay Poblacion recorded three-digit cases while Barangays Camaya, Maligaya, San Carlos, San Isidro, Sisiman, Balon Anito, Malaya and Ipag have double-digit cases.

Garcia said Mariveles accounts for 549 of the more than 1,000 cases in the province.

He said the provincial inter-agency task force on COVID-19 recommended the lockdown after a recent meeting with Mayor Jocelyn Castañeda.

Garcia assured residents of affected barangays that the provincial government would help in food rationing.

He said the Kusina sa Barangay, which served food to villagers when the province was under enhanced community quarantine or ECQ and general community quarantine would be revived.

Mass swab testing

Meanwhile, in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, which is under modified ECQ, mass swab testing of suspected cases was conducted starting yesterday.

Mayor Eufemia Dacayo said residents of barangays with the highest number of confirmed cases would be given priority.

Dacayo said the Department of Health  sent 2,000 swab test kits as well as technical teams to assist local health workers in the mass testing.

Provincial health officer Edwin Galapon said mass swab testing would also be conducted in Bayombong, Bagabag, Aritao and Dupax del Sur, where a surge in infections was recorded.

Of the 272 confirmed cases in Nueva Vizcaya, 153 are in Solano.

Cemeteries closed

In Pangasinan, Mayor Brian Lim of Dagupan City issued an executive order closing all public and private cemeteries from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 to prevent mass gathering.

Lim said cemeteries would be open only for interment or cremation.

He urged those planning to visit the graves of their loved ones to plan their schedule ahead of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Some mayors in Metro Manila announced the closure of cemeteries in their areas as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.