LAOAG CITY – At least two cities and 19 towns of Ilocos Sur province will be placed under the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for two weeks starting September 22 due to continuing surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
In a six-page executive order penned by Governor Ryan Luis V. Singson on Monday, he said the number of residents in the province being infected with COVID-19 is rising at an “alarming rate.”
To slow down local transmission of the current 3,285 active cases, mostly involving government front-liners, Singson said there is a need to impose ECQ in the cities of Vigan and Candon, as well as the municipalities of Bantay, Cabugao, Caoayan, Del Pilar, Magsingal, Narvacan, Salcedo, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Santa, Santiago, Sinait, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Cruz, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Maria, Sto. Domingo, and Suyo.
The remaining 13 municipalities will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until September 30 in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force guidelines.
From September 22 to October 6 or unless sooner lifted, the movement of residents in the said local government units is strictly limited to emergency and medical purposes.
“There will also be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures,” said Singson.
All forms of mass gatherings will also be prohibited except for the provision of health services, government services or duly authorized humanitarian activities.
Curfew is also set from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and a total liquor ban during the ECQ period.