MANILA • Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said partial coronavirus restrictions will remain in the capital region until the end of the year, with the government urging Filipinos to limit Christmas gatherings to prevent a post-holiday surge in Covid-19 cases.
People must still wear masks and face shields and observe social distancing in Metro Manila as well as in Mr Duterte's home town, Davao, and six other areas for the whole of this month, while less stringent restrictions will be enforced for the rest of the country.
In a late-night televised address on Monday, Mr Duterte reminded Filipinos of the danger of ignoring safety protocols, citing what he said was a third wave of infections in Europe and the United States.
He blamed the resurgence in those countries on the stubbornness of some people.
In the Philippines, cases continued to rise after restrictions were relaxed, which Mr Duterte said was necessary because people needed to earn a living.
Local chief executives and medical practitioners warned that further loosening of curbs would put the capital region, which accounts for a third of the economy, at risk during the holidays.
The Philippines, which has the second-highest number of Covid-19 infections and deaths in South-east Asia behind Indonesia, has recorded more than 430,000 confirmed cases and more than 8,300 fatalities.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque asked Filipinos to limit Christmas gatherings to immediate family members as he warned against complacency and ignoring health standards.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said Christmas parties, family reunions and carol singing outside homes are considered prohibited mass gatherings, but minors will be allowed to go to malls if they are accompanied by their parents.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered the country's aviation authority to halt international commercial flights after the nation reported its first local coronavirus cases in almost three months, according to a posting on the government's website.
The Premier, who said "rescue" flights bringing Vietnamese home from abroad should continue, instructed the Ho Chi Minh City government to quickly trace and isolate everyone who had come into contact with those who had tested positive.
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1,298
Number of new Covid-19 cases reported in the Philippines yesterday, raising the total tally to 432,925. The death toll climbed to 8,418 after 27 more patients died from the pandemic.
REUTERS, BLOOMBERG
