MGCQ in Negros Occidental until March 31

MANILA, Philippines — Negros Occidental will remain under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until March 31.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order yesterday extending the MGCQ status, noting that Negros Occidental recorded 6,811 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday.

There are 78 active cases in the province, 24 of them in  Silay City.

Nine local government units – Bago City and Candoni, Cauayan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Manapla, Murcia, Salvador Benedicto and Valladolid towns – have no new confirmed case as of Feb. 24.

Bacolod City has yet to decide whether to extend its MGCQ status.

There were 68 active cases in Bacolod as of Thursday.

As this developed, Baguio City, which remains under GCQ, relaxed some of its quarantine rules.

In an executive order, Mayor Benjamin Magalong shortened the curfew to midnight to 4 a.m. and the liquor ban to 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.

The seating capacity for religious gatherings will be increased to 50 percent starting tomorrow.

In Isabela, 14 people, who were exposed to those who tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a wake and burial of their townmate in Cabagan, were found infected yesterday.

Thirty-five other persons, who either attended or had direct contact with those present during the wake had earlier contracted the virus.

The fatality was confirmed positive for COVID-19 a day after she was buried.

Isabela logged 125 cases yesterday, the highest recorded in a single day. Cabagan logged 30 cases, also the highest in one day. – Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao