THE Regional Inter-agency Task Force (RITF) on emerging infectious diseases has recommended a higher community quarantine classification of Eastern Visayas from modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) following the sudden surge of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the region.

In its June 9, 2021 resolution, the RITF said the new classification is crucial “to contain the surge and facilitate the implementation of necessary measures by local government units and regional line agencies.”

As of Thursday, June 10, 2021, the region logged its highest ever recorded cases in a day since 2020.

According to the regional health department, a total of 572 new cases were recorded on Thursday out of the 1,855 laboratory samples tested in four Covid-19 laboratories.

Of these, 567 were tested in the three laboratories in the region, while five cases were reported by the Philippine Red Cross in Cebu City, it said.

The total number of new cases represents a 30.84 percent positivity rate.

The new cases are from Tacloban City (112), Ormoc City (28), Leyte province (163), Southern Leyte (82), Northern Samar (123), Eastern Samar (15), Samar (44), and Biliran (5).

Meanwhile, the region identified another Covid-related death as EV-22296, an 86-year-old female from Calbayog City who died on June 5, 2021.

As of Thursday, the region’s total number of Covid-19 cases is at 23,338, with total recoveries at 20,948 (89.76 percent), total deaths at 332 (1.42 percent), and total active cases at 2,058 (8.82 percent).