COVID-19 pandemic in Calabarzon

The COVID-19 pandemic in Calabarzon is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus reached Calabarzon on March 7, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in Rizal. All provinces in the region has confirmed cases. As of October 19, 2021, the region has 486,176 confirmed cases, with 5,048 deaths.[1]

COVID-19 pandemic in Calabarzon
Confirmed cases in Calabarzon by province (as of August 25)[note 1]
  1,000–4,999 confirmed
  500–999 confirmed
  100–499 confirmed
  50–99 confirmed
  10–49 confirmed
  1–9 confirmed
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationCalabarzon
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseCainta, Rizal
Arrival dateMarch 5, 2020
(2 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Confirmed cases 486,176
Active cases 8,454
Recovered 472,674
Deaths
 5,048
Government website
ro4a.doh.gov.ph

Background
COVID-19 testing in Rizal.

The first confirmed COVID-19 case in Calabarzon is a 62-year-old male, a resident of Cainta, Rizal, who frequented a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan, Metro Manila. The patient was admitted at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan, Metro Manila on March 1, 2020, and was diagnosed with severe pneumonia. The case was confirmed on March 5 and the man was referred to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa.[2] The individual's case is also the first confirmed local transmission of COVID-19 in the country, having no travel history abroad.[3] The patient's wife also contracted the disease.[4]

Mayor Kit Nieto of Cainta ordered the immediate provision of face masks and disinfectants in areas near the residence of the patient. The patient's family, as well as his neighbors, were placed under quarantine.[5] Nieto suspended classes in Cainta from March 7 to 10 and placed the city under community quarantine since March 15.[6][7]

Aside from Rizal, all provinces have confirmed cases. The first case per province by date of confirmation as is as follows:

  • Cavite – March 10[8]
  • Batangas – March 13[9]
  • Laguna and Quezon – March 15;[10][11] the first two cases in Quezon is from Lucena, which is geographically part of Quezon but is administered independently from the province. The first Quezon case outside Lucena is linked to the municipality of Sariaya.[12]

Statistics
Cumulative COVID-19 cases in Calabarzon
based on numbers confirmed and validated by the DOH COVID-19 Tracker
As of January 3, 2022
Province or HUC Cases Deaths Recov. Active
Batangas 74,263 953 72,871 439
Cavite 163,524 1,220 160,820 1,364
Laguna 124,900 1,479 122,704 717
Quezon 23,458 304 22,651 503
Lucena 7,264 117 6,990 157
Rizal 105,560 1,531 103,013 1,016
Total 498,969 5,048 472,674 8,454

 †  Lucena is a highly-urbanized city; figures are excluded from Quezon province.

Response

Calabarzon was under the scope of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon imposed by the national government from March 16, 2020.[13]

On May 16, Calabarzon (except Laguna) was downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ).[14]

On August 1, Lipa was placed under a 15-day lockdown and the province of Batangas was placed under GCQ.[15] On August 4, the modified ECQ status was reinstated for Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, all of which surround Metro Manila.[16] On August 19, the aforementioned provinces were downgraded to GCQ.[17][18]

On September 1, the entire region except for Batangas was downgraded to modified GCQ.[19]

On March 22, 2021, in view of the grim rising of new COVID-19 cases, the GCQ status, this time with additional restrictions, was reinstated over Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.[20] Alongside Metro Manila and Bulacan, these areas were collectively given the designation "NCR Plus"[21] and the restrictions placed on the area is described essentially as a GCQ-MECQ hybrid.[22] On March 27, it was announced that "NCR Plus" would be placed under ECQ from March 29 to April 4;[23] it would later be extended up to April 11.[24] On April 12, the area was then downgraded to modified ECQ,[25] while Quezon was elevated to GCQ.[26] On May 15, the provinces under the NCR Plus bubble were downgraded to GCQ with "heightened restrictions."[27] From June 16 to July 15, the city of Lucena was placed under MECQ.[28] On July 1, Rizal was downgraded to normal GCQ.[29] On July 16, Lucena was downgraded to GCQ with "heightened restrictions," while Cavite was downgraded to normal GCQ.[30] Effective August 1 to 15, Rizal and Cavite would be upgraded back to GCQ with "heightened restrictions," while Laguna was upgraded to MECQ.[31][32]

Notes
  1. Breakdown of confirmed cases is according to the COVID-19 Case Tracker of the Department of Health.

References
  1. "COVID-19 Tracker". doh.gov.ph. Department of Health. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  2. Santos, Elmor (March 7, 2020). "Cainta, Rizal steps up coronavirus measures amid confirmed case". CNN Philippines. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  3. San Juan, Ratziel (March 12, 2020). "First local COVID-19 transmission case, wife among 3 new deaths in Philippines". The Philippine Star. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  4. Alcober, Neil (March 13, 2020). "Cainta couple dies from COVID-19". Daily Tribune. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  5. Santos, Eimor (March 7, 2020). "Cainta, Rizal steps up coronavirus measures amid confirmed case". CNN Philippines. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  6. Hallare, Katrina (March 7, 2020). "Cainta, Rizal suspends classes, distributes face masks over coronavirus threat". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  7. "Cainta mayor to place town under quarantine over 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19". CNN Philippines. March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  8. "Cavite confirms first COVID-19 case". Tempo. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  9. "Batangas confirms 2 COVID-19 cases, suspends classes in all levels". GMA News. March 13, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  10. Molina, Carlo Jacob (March 22, 2020). "Laguna confirms second coronavirus case". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  11. "Quezon province confirms first COVID-19 patient". CNN Philippines. March 15, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  12. "2 new COVID-19 cases in Quezon traced to Lucena, Sariaya". Philippine Daily Inquirer. March 23, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  13. Luna, Franco (March 16, 2020). "Duterte places entire Luzon under 'enhanced' community quarantine". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  14. "Metro Manila eases to GCQ on June 1". CNN Philippines. May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  15. "Lipa City under 15-day lockdown to prevent COVID-19 spread". CNN Philippines. August 1, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  16. "Duterte places NCR, nearby areas back to MECQ beginning Tuesday, August 4, 2020". GMA News Online. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  17. Geducos, Argyll Cyrus (August 18, 2020). "Metro Manila, 4 neighboring provinces back under GCQ". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  18. "Metro Manila now in GCQ". PTV News. August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  19. "Iligan City placed under stricter lockdown, Metro Manila remains under GCQ". Manila Standard. August 31, 2020.
  20. "Duterte approves 2-week GCQ for M. Manila, nearby provinces with add'l restrictions". ABS-CBN News. March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  21. Malasig, Jeline (March 22, 2021). "Greater Manila vs 'NCR Plus': Questions as gov't labels areas under GCQ 'bubble'". Interaksyon. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  22. Ranada, Pia; Tomacruz, Sofia (March 22, 2021). "Stricter GCQ, 'NCR Plus' bubble explained". Rappler. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  23. "NCR Plus to shift to stricter ECQ for one week". CNN Philippines. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  24. "Philippines extends coronavirus curbs in capital, nearby provinces". Channel News Asia. April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  25. Punzalan, Jamaine (April 28, 2021). "Duterte extends MECQ in NCR Plus until May 14". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  26. Galvez, Daphne (April 11, 2021). "'NCR Plus' to be under MECQ starting April 12 until April 30 — Palace". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  27. Ranada, Pia (May 13, 2021). "'NCR Plus' shifts to 'stricter' GCQ on May 15". Rappler. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  28. Ranada, Pia (June 14, 2021). "Davao City, Zamboanga City, 19 other areas under MECQ until end-June". Rappler. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  29. "July community quarantine classifications finalized". Presidential Communications Operations Office. June 30, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  30. "GCQ status in NCR extended until July 31". Presidential Communications Operations Office. July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  31. Ranada, Pia (July 29, 2021). "NCR still under stricter GCQ in August; Iloilo, 3 other areas under ECQ". Rappler. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  32. "Apayao, Laguna, Aklan now under MECQ; Cebu province down to 'strict GCQ'". ABS-CBN News. August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
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