Iloilo City mulls MECQ status for 15-days

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The local government of Iloilo City on Thursday said it was considering placing the city under modified enhanced community quarantine following a spike in cases of COVID-19.</p><p>In a Facebook post, Mayor Jerry Treñas said the city&#x27;s COVID Team has recommended placing the city under MECQ for 15 days starting Thursday, September 24. The city is among the majority of areas in the country under modified general community quarantine, the least restrictive form of quarantine currently in place. </p><p>“All protocols for MECQ shall be under our EO (executive order) but the official declaration shall come from IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force),” Treñas said.</p><p>Treñas said EO No. 149, amending EO No. 140, was released Thursday.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/JerryTrenasOfficial/posts/3388999247852488" data-width="auto"> </div><p>The mayor said the IATF will be meeting Thursday afternoon and that the recommendation also got the support from IATF vice chair Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and COVID-19 National Task Force chairperson Delfin Lorenzana.</p><p>“The cases in the city continue to shoot up and we need your cooperation to help eliminate the virus. We need to act fast to protect the lives of Ilonggos,” the mayor said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Treñas also recommended the suspension of flights for returning overseas Filipinos and stranded individuals for 7 days.</p><p>“This will give us time to attend to the rising cases. We also did not recommend border controls because we do not want business establishments to be so much affected,” the mayor said.</p><p>Public transportation will continue in the city as long as the 1-meter distancing is observed by passengers.</p><p>The mayor, meanwhile, ordered the closure of all public markets at 5 p.m. each day beginning Thursday, Sept. 24 until Oct. 9. Those who fail to comply may face disciplinary measures and possible fines.<br/> <br/>Treñas on Wednesday placed city hall under a 3-day lockdown after 33 of its employees from the Treasurer’s Office tested positive for COVID-19.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/23/20/iloilo-city-hall-on-3-day-lockdown-after-33-employees-test-positive-for-covid-19">Iloilo City Hall on 3-day lockdown after 33 employees test positive for COVID-19</a></li></ul><p>The city also earlier placed 13 of its barangays under total lockdown to prevent further transmission of the virus.</p><p>As of Thursday, the city has recorded 21 COVID-19 cases, 19 of which are local transmissions and 2 are new cases.</p>

<p>MANILA - The local government of Iloilo City on Thursday said is it considering placing the city under a modified enhanced community quarantine following a spike in cases of COVID-19.</p>

MANILA - The local government of Iloilo City on Thursday said is it considering placing the city under a modified enhanced community quarantine following a spike in cases of COVID-19.