6 Rizal villages declared COVID-19 ‘hotspots’

MANILA, Philippines — Six barangays in Montalban, Rizal have been declared coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 ”hotspots” after clustering of cases was recorded this week.

In a health bulletin on Wednesday, the municipal government of Montalban said Barangays San Isidro, Burgos, San Jose, San Rafael, Manggahan, Balite and Rosario recorded 24, 18, 15, seven, five and two active cases, respectively, or a total of 73.

The local government said the declaration was meant to inform the public about the number of confirmed cases per area.

”It is not for the purpose of discriminating against patients or areas affected by the virus but to remind everyone that caution is needed to prevent its spread in our communities,” it said.

As of Wednesday, Montalban has 559 confirmed cases, 23 deaths and 463 recoveries.

No active cases

Meanwhile, 12 towns in Pangasinan have no active cases.

The provincial health office said these are Agno, Aguilar, Alcala, Anda, Bani, Burgos, Dasol, San Jacinto, San Quintin, Sto. Tomas, Umingan and Sta. Maria.

Under ”COVID watchlist” are Dagupan City, where 86 cases were recorded; Calasiao, 18; Binmaley, 17; Bayambang, 15; Malasiqui and Mangaldan, 13 each; Urdaneta City, Lingayen and Sta. Barbara, 10 each; Bugallon and San Carlos City, nine each; San Fabian, eight; Basista and Natividad seven each; Bolinao, five; Asingan, Manaoag and Sison, four each; and Binalonan, Mapandan, Pozorrubio, Rosales and Sual, three each.

Pangasinan recorded 283 active cases as of yesterday.

Gov. Amado Espino III said they are focusing on the sudden increase of cases as well as contact tracing.

Espino said most of the confirmed cases in the province are authorized persons outside residence or APORs.

Market lockdown

In Nueva Vizcaya, four of the 10 new patients were traced to have visited the Bayombong public market, where 29 cases had been earlier recorded.

Bayombong Mayor Ralph Lantion said the public market is on lockdown until tomorrow.

Nueva Vizcaya has 509 confirmed cases, 270 of them active.