NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional 16,621 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Thursday, including 148 new fatalities.

Since the start of the pandemic, the archipelago has recorded more than 2 million cases and 33,680 deaths (CFR 1.67).

In Quezon City, part of Metro Manila, 56 areas are currently placed under Special Concern Lockdown Areas (SCLA) due to the number cases in the area. These “granular lockdowns” affect  2,669 families or 4,650 individuals.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said, “We remind our QCitizens to continue following minimum health standards and to immediately get themselves vaccinated. The city will continue to expand its vaccination program to achieve full population protection as soon as possible”.

On Tuesday, the OCTA Research Group recommended the imposition of a three-week hard lockdown in COVID-19 hotspots nationwide to avoid the further spike in coronavirus infections; however, Malacañang declined the recommendation saying hard lockdowns are “not doable” because the government is aiming for “total health” amid the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

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