AFTER Davao del Norte, Digos City in Davao del Sur is the latest local government unit to revert to general community quarantine (GCQ) due to the "exponential" rise of Covid-19 cases in the area.
According to Executive Order (EO) 24, issued by Digos City Mayor Josef Cagas, the entire city will be under GCQ from June 14 to June 27, 2021.
"In order to mitigate and curtail the spread of Covid-19, preventive measures must be taken into place by escalating the quarantine level of Digos City from MGCQ [modified GCQ] to GCQ," Cagas said in the EO.
Cagas said the city has recorded a total of 92 Covid-19 cases from May 7 to June 3, with an average of 13 cases every day.
The mayor added that the number "is rising exponentially."
According to the EO, residents are mandated to stay at home, while frontliners and essential workers are exempted.
Movement outside the home will be allowed only for purposes of accessing basic necessities and reporting to work. Face shields and face masks will remain required in all public places.
Establishments such as malls, restaurants, pharmacies, banks, and all other establishments are allowed to operate under GCQ, provided that minimum health protocols will be observed.
All barangay personnel are also mandated to implement the order.
Government offices shall have a skeleton workforce except those involved in security, health services, social welfare, sanitation, disaster, and other essential offices.
Curfew hours will be imposed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., while a liquor ban will be implemented from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For transportation, only 50 percent of the total capacity is allowed for public utility jeepney (PUJ), maximum of three passengers for tricycle, and only one passenger, excluding driver, for motorcycle.
Violators will be penalized under the Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
As of June 13, Digos City has recorded a total of 1,290 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 281 active cases, 962 recoveries, and 31 deaths.
Meanwhile, based on the Department of Health-Davao Region data, still on the same day, the entire Davao del Sur has recorded a total of 2,360 confirmed cases, with 550 active cases, 1,735 recoveries, and 75 deaths.