The Metro Manila skyline seen from Pasig City on April 1, 2020. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA (UPDATE) - Metro Manila and several areas will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) in October, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced Monday night, as the country keeps most of its virus restrictions in place.
Aside from the capital region, Bacolod, Tacloban, Iloilo City, Batangas and Iligan will also stay under GCQ.
Lanao del Sur will be under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for the duration, while the rest of the country will remain under or shift to the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Some of the provinces that will shift to MGCQ from GCQ are Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal.
The new community quarantine classifications will take effect starting October 1 until October 31.
The Philippines implements a 4-level community quarantine scheme ranging from the strictest, enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), to the most relaxed which is MGCQ.
Each level dictates the type of business activities allowed in a certain area, as well as travel restrictions.
As of Monday, a total of 307,288 coronavirus cases have been logged in the country. Of the total, 49,242 are active. Total recoveries are at 252,665, while the death toll is 5,381.
Coronavirus cases in the Philippines reached 307,288 on Monday, of which 49,242 are active cases.
The country's first case was reported on Jan. 30, a Chinese woman who arrived from Wuhan City, China where the disease first emerged.
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