Philippines extends partial restrictions in the capital to contain virus

MANILA, July 15 (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo
Duterte is enforcing partial coronavirus restrictions in the
capital for another two weeks, and warned that stricter curbs
would be reinstated if the rise in new cases and deaths does not
slow down.
The Philippines this week recorded Southeast Asia's biggest
daily jump in coronavirus deaths and saw hospital occupancy grow
sharply, after a tripling of infections since a tough lockdown
was eased on June 1 to allow more movement and commerce.
"It was clear during our discussion that if the spread of
the virus in Manila will not slow, it is possible that stricter
quarantine measures would be reimposed after two weeks,"
presidential spokesman Harry Roque said late on Wednesday.
Confirmed cases in the capital region have more than doubled
to 29,015 since June.
Schools are to remain closed, operations of shopping malls
and dine-in eateries limited, mass gatherings banned, social
distancing enforced on public transport, and children and the
elderly urged to stay at home.
Under tighter regulations in force from mid-March to the end
of May, public transport was barred, working from home
instituted where possible, and only one person per household
allowed out for essential goods.
Meanwhile, Duterte eased lockdown measures in Cebu from July
16 after the central city recorded a decline in the number of
confirmed cases, although it still accounted for 10% of the
58,850 total infections in the country.
Many parts of Asia, the region first hit by the coronavirus
that emerged in China late last year, are pausing the reopening
of their economies - some after winning praise for their initial
responses to the outbreak.
Navotas, a city of 250,000 in the National Capital Region
surrounding Manila, will from July 16 return to lockdown after
cases tripled since June, its mayor said this week.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque said earlier on Wednesday
the government had "successfully flattened the curve since
April" because COVID-19 cases were growing slower, with the rate
of doubling of infections now at 8.28 days from 4.8 days in May.
To prevent wider transmission, the government said it would
use police to carry out house-to-house searches for patients so
they can be isolated and brought to quarantine facilities where
they can be properly managed.