MANILA— Metro Manila and several other areas will stay under the second strictest lockdown level until Sept. 7, government said on Saturday, as the Philippines continued to battle a spike in COVID-19 cases linked to the highly contagious Delta variant of the disease.

This extends the MECQ period by at least a week, after government earlier announced its lapse by August 31.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said aside from Metro Manila, home to 13 million people, several other areas will be under MECQ.

The capital region and the provinces of Bataan, and Laguna "shall have added restrictions on dining, personal care services and religious activities," according to Roque.

The following are quarantine levels that will take affect across the country from Sept. 1 to 7:

MODIFIED ENHANCED COMMUNITY QUARANTINE

• Metro Manila
• Apayao
• Ilocos Norte
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Cavite
• Lucena City
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Aklan
• Iloilo Province
• Iloilo City
• Lapu-Lapu City
• Cebu City
• Mandaue City
• Cagayan de Oro City

GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE WITH HEIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS

• Ilocos Sur
• Cagayan
• Quezon
• Batangas
• Naga City
• Antique
• Bacolod City
• Capiz
• Cebu Province
• Negros Oriental
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Misamis Oriental
• Davao City
• Davao del Norte
• Davao Occidental
• Davao de Oro
• Butuan City

GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE

• Baguio City
• Santiago City
• Quirino
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Tarlac
• Puerto Princesa
• Guimaras
• Negros Occidental
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• Zamboanga City
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Davao Oriental
• Davao del Sur
• General Santos City
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sarangani
• North Cotabato
• South Cotabato
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Dinagat Islands
• Cotabato City

The remaining areas in the country will be under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), Roque said.

The Philippines has tallied over 1.9 million coronavirus infections, among the highest in Asia, as it recorded new highs in daily tallies due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

In late August, the health department confirmed community transmission of the Delta variant. Several hospitals across the country have reported reaching full capacity.

Government aims to inoculate up to 70 million people before the year ends to achieve herd immunity and safely reopen the economy. At least 13.3 million individuals have been fully vaccinated so far.

— Reports from Jamaine Punzalan and Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

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