THE entire Province of Rizal will be placed on lockdown starting Monday, April 6, to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), acting Rizal Governor Reynaldo San Juan Jr. announced on Sunday, April 5.
In a Facebook post, San Juan said the lockdown will take effect at 8 a.m. of Monday and will last until further notice.
Non-residents will no longer be allowed entry to the province, except health workers, emergency frontliners, government workers, diplomats, media personnel, religious ministers and essential workers.
Cargo trucks and other vehicles delivering food and farm inputs will also be allowed to cross the province’s borders.
Express lanes will be set up to expedite delivery of donations for the hospitals and those in need of medical attention.
A 24-hour curfew will be strictly enforced and only one person per family will be allowed to go out to buy food and other necessities.
The lockdown is in accordance with Executive Order No. 14 signed by San Juan on Saturday.
Lockdown guidelines are similar to those issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon.
As of Friday, April 3, officials said there were at least 106 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Rizal, with 18 mortalities.
Of the deceased, eight were from Antipolo, five in Cainta, three in Taytay and one each in Jalajala and San Mateo.
There were 466 patients under investigation and 9,188 persons under monitoring.
Nationwide, the Department of Health said there were 3,094 confirmed infections as of Saturday, including 144 deceased and 57 survivors. (SunStar Philippines)