Ilocos Norte under MECQ until August 14

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The entire province of Ilocos Norte will be under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from Aug. 1 to 14.

Gov. Matthew Manotoc announced yesterday that the stricter quarantine status was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

On Wednesday, Manotoc issued an executive order providing interim MECQ guidelines to be implemented starting yesterday.

“There must be an immediate implementation of proactive measures and restrictions must be put in place to slow down the surge in COVID-19 cases, stop the further spread and buy time for the health system to cope and protect lives,” the EO read.

Manotoc cited the average daily attack rate and two-week growth rate of COVID-19 cases in the province for the shift to MECQ.

He said the movement of people would be regulated while the province is under MECQ even as he reminded residents to strictly observe minimum health protocols.

As of 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Ilocos Norte had recorded 297 new cases, bringing the total active infections to 2,718.

The provincial government had earlier confirmed that a resident of Bacarra town has been infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19.