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Lock down Metro Manila over coronavirus? Premature, says health chief

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Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/03/09/20200203-manila-mask-coronavirus-jc-3353.jpg"/><figcaption>People use face masks as they ride public transportation in Manila on February 03, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA- It might be &quot;premature&quot; to place Metro Manila on lockdown due to the coronavirus threat, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday even as the government sought to control the local transmission of the disease.Health authorities still have to wait for evidence of &quot;sustained community transmission&quot; before the government declares a lockdown, Duque told reporters in Malacañang.&quot;These are some of the options being considered but it might be premature at this point,” Duque said.“We will have to wait until evidence of sustained community transmission is presented. That will trigger the community lockdown or community quarantine as one of the interventions,” he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/20/philippines-readies-measures-vs-community-spread-of-coronavirus">Philippines readies measures vs community spread of coronavirus</a></li></ul>The cities of Marikina, Pasig, and Quezon have confirmed patients infected with COVID-19 in their respective areas on Monday.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/20/quezon-city-marikina-new-cases-covid-19-new-coronavirus">Quezon City, Marikina have one COVID-19 case each: officials</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/20/vico-sotto-confirms-new-coronavirus-patient-in-medical-city-hospital-pasig-city">COVID-19 patient confined in Pasig: Vico Sotto</a></li></ul>Several cities also suspended classes as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/08/20/class-suspension-walang-pasok-list-coronavirus-ncov-covid-19">#WalangPasok: Lunes, Marso 9, 2020 dahil sa novel coronavirus</a></li></ul>&quot;We need to respect the local chief executives&#x27; decision to suspend classes and that must be followed by all concerned,&quot; Duque said.The Philippines so far confirmed 10 cases of COVID-19, including an incident of local transmission. The development prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the country under a state of public health emergency to arrest the spread of the pathogen that has killed 3,500 and infected 109,000 people worldwide. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/20/duterte-declares-state-of-public-health-emergency-philippines-due-to-coronavirus">Philippines declares state of public health emergency due to coronavirus</a></li></ul>

Health authorities would still have to wait for evidence of "sustained community transmission" before the government declares a lockdown, Duque told reporters in Malacañang

Health authorities would still have to wait for evidence of "sustained community transmission" before the government declares a lockdown, Duque told reporters in Malacañang

Lock down Metro Manila over coronavirus? Premature, says health chief

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Lock down Metro Manila over coronavirus? Premature, says health chief

Arianne Merez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 09, 2020 03:48 PM PHT

|

Updated Mar 10, 2020 08:35 AM PHT

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Metro Manila

COVID-19

coronavirus

health

Francisco Duque III

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