Longer curfew hours will be implemented in the National Capital Region (NCR) starting Sunday, July 25, amid the rising cases of COVID-19 Delta variant.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Saturday, July 24, that the Metro Manila Council (MMC) will enforce a six-hour curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. in the region which was recently put under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.
Under MMDA Resolution No. 21-13, the 17 Metro Manila mayors have agreed to adjust the curfew hours from the previous 12 midnight to 4 a.m. in an attempt to control further transmission of the Delta variant.
"We need to limit the movement of the public through the imposition of longer curfew hours. Since the Delta variant spreads exponentially, we should not let our guards down and implement necessary restrictions to contain the virus,” MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos said.
He stressed that the COVID-19 Delta Variant is highly contagious with an R Naught (R0), a measure of contagion or reproduction rate, of 5 to 8 "that may potentially trigger an exponential surge and local transmission in densely populated areas like the NCR.”
“While the Metro Manila Council recognizes the imperative to gradually and cautiously open the economy in order to increase business activities, reduce unemployment and underemployment, and promote economic growth, it is equally mindful of the paramount interests of life and health and the strict implementation of the prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and reintegrate strategies,” the resolution stated.
Seventeen new cases of the highly-transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus were reported Saturday, taking the total Delta variant cases to 64. Of the new cases, 12 are local cases and 9 of them had an indicated address in NCR.
The DOH also said that the seven-day moving average in the NCR shows signs of increasing trend as cases in the recent week have exceeded the previous week by 179 cases.
NCR’s average daily reported cases for the week of July 16 to 22 is 797.
On July 23, Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions until July 31.