Bulacan has 3 new Covid cases, one death; Baguio villages locked down; 1 dead in Ifugao

By Ramon Efren Lazaro

MALOLOS, Bulacan — Another patient died of coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 in Bulacan as three new cases and seven recoveries were reported afternoon of May 3.

The latest fatality was a 56-year-old man from Baliwag town. The new cases included a 23-year-old man from Marilao, a 22-year-old woman from Pandi and a 56 year-old man from Baliwag, the provincial health office said.

The latest figures brought the total number of confirmed cases in the province to 121, the recoveries to 27 and the deaths to 25.

On the same day in Nueva Ecija, a couple from Fort Magsaysay recovered from the disease, bringing the total number to 18.

The couple had traveled to Europe and tested positive for COVID-19 on March 29, according to the provincial inter-agency task force.

The number of suspected cases in the province climbed to 945 as of Sunday.

In Baguio City, Mayor Benjamin Magalong lifted the lockdown in Barangay San Vicente after observing that residents have been complying with quarantine rules.

The lockdown remains in seven areas – San Luis Extension in Barangay San Luis, Woodsgate Subdivision at Camp 7, Purok 1 at Camp 8, Teachers’ Village in Barangay Sto. Tomas Proper, Sitio Sto.Niño in Bakakeng Central, Sector 5 in Dominican-Mirador and BGH compound.

Meanwhile, the town of Lamut in Ifugao reverted to enhanced community quarantine after its request to extend the ECQ was approved by the Cordillera inter-agency task force.

Mayor Mariano Buyagawan Jr. earlier asked the Department of the Interior and Local Government to extend the ECQ in his town.

Ifugao is among medium-risk provinces that were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) effective April 30.

The province’s lone COVID case was recorded in Lamut.

The municipal government expressed fear over the shift to GCQ as the town serves as a gateway for tourists to the Cordilleras.

As this developed, a request of the provincial government of La Union to remain under ECQ was denied by the national inter-agency task force on emerging infectious diseases. – With Ric Sapnu and Raymund Catindig