14 more areas under Alert Level 3 from Jan 9

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Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
  • 14 more cities and provinces were placed under the stricter Alert Level 3 from January 9 due to rising COVID-19 cases
  • The additional areas join Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan and Laguna under the Alert Level 3 status until Jan 15

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved the escalation of 14 more cities and provinces to Alert Level 3 from January 9 to 15, 2022 due to the rising cases of COVID-19.

These areas include the following:

  • Baguio City
  • Dagupan City
  • City of Santiago, Isabela
  • Cagayan
  • Angeles City, Pampanga
  • Bataan
  • Olongapo City, Zambales
  • Pampanga
  • Zambales
  • Batangas
  • Lucena City, Quezon
  • Naga City
  • Iloilo City
  • Lapu-lapu

Earlier, Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan and Laguna were also placed under Alert Level 3 until January 15 due to the sharp increase in cases in particular localities and the detection of local transmission of the omicron variant.

The Department of Health (DOH) on January 3 said the country was again deemed as “high risk” for COVID-19 following a continued increase in infections.

On January 6, DOH reported 17,220 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day increase since September 24, 2021, and detected 29 new cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Areas under Alert Level 3 are areas where case counts are high and/or increasing, with increasing total bed utilization and intensive care unit utilization rates.

Under Alert Level 3, intrazonal and interzonal movement will be allowed and reasonable restrictions may be imposed by the local government units, which should not be stricter as those prescribed under higher alert levels.

Those below 18 years of age and those belonging to the vulnerable population will be allowed access to obtain essential goods and services, or for work in permitted industries and offices in accordance with existing labor laws, rules, and regulations.

Establishments and/or activities characterized as high-risk for transmission will not be allowed to operate, or be undertaken in areas classified under Alert Level 3.

The rest of the country will remain under Alert Level 2 from January 1 to 15, 2022.

The alert level system refers to the new community quarantine classifications for dealing with COVID-19, and covers entire cities, municipalities and/or regions with the aim to manage and minimize the risk of disease transmission through the use of system indicators, triggers, and thresholds determined by the IATF.