COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon

The COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon 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 Central Luzon on March 9, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in San Jose del Monte.[1] All provinces in the region have recorded COVID-19 cases. As of August 14, 2022. Central Luzon has 376,747 cases with 6,995 deaths.[2]

COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon
Confirmed cases in Central Luzon by province (as of March 21, 2021)[note 1]
  10000–99999 confirmed
  5000–9999 confirmed
  1000–4999 confirmed
  500–999 confirmed
  100–499 confirmed
  50–99 confirmed
  10–49 confirmed
  1–9 confirmed
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationCentral Luzon
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseSan Jose del Monte, Bulacan
Arrival dateMarch 9, 2020
(2 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Confirmed cases 376,747
Active cases 4.488
Recovered 365,264
Deaths
 6,995
Government website
centralluzon.doh.gov.ph

Background

The first case was initially reported to be a resident of Santa Maria, Bulacan[3] but was eventually clarified to be from San Jose del Monte, still in the same province.[4][1] The patient has no travel history abroad.[1] The first case per province by date of confirmation as is as follows:

  • Pampanga – March 13, 2020[5][6]
  • Bataan – March 14, 2020[7]
  • Nueva Ecija – March 22, 2020[8]
  • Tarlac and Zambales – March 26, 2020;[9][10] the first case in Tarlac is a 75-year-old woman from Barangay Patalan in Paniqui while the second patient is a 39-year-old man from Barangay Pinasling in Gerona. In Zambales the first case is a 73-year-old US citizen living in Barangay San Gregorio in San Antonio who had traveled from Cavite to Manila before returning to the province on March 15.
  • Olongapo – March 28, 2020[11]
  • Aurora – August 12, 2020[12]

On July 6, 2020, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region has breached the 1,000 mark with 1,021 cases and 75 deaths.[13]

Tally of cases
Cumulative COVID-19 cases in Central Luzon[2]
based on numbers released on the DOH COVID-19 Tracker
Updated October 19, 2021; 4:00 p.m. (PhST)
LGU Cases Deaths Recov. Active
Aurora 3,402 125 3,157 120
Bataan 30,510 452 29,330 728
Bulacan 102,020 1,464 98,323 2,233
Nueva Ecija 30,621 855 28,710 1,056
Pampanga 52,330 1,365 49,955 1,010
Tarlac 21,679 478 20,552 649
Zambales 10,393 393 9,736 264
Angeles City (HUC) 14,998 291 14,500 207
Olongapo City (HUC) 6,526 159 6,271 96
unknown 165 5 159 1
Total 272,644 5,587 260,693 6,364

Response
Former COVID-19 patients being discharged from the We Heal As One Center at the Philippine Arena Complex.

Repatriation from abroad

Central Luzon was also a major quarantine site for repatriates from abroad, particularly New Clark City Sports Hub in Capas, Tarlac. The first two COVID-19 cases among repatriates in New Clark City were confirmed on March 11.[1][14]

Lockdowns
An empty Pulilan Regional Road in Pulilan, Bulacan on March 23, 2020, during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine

The region is under the scope of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon imposed by the national government on March 16, 2020.[15]

Quarantine facilities

In April 2020, the national government began converting the ASEAN Convention Center at the Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga and the National Government Administrative Center in Capas, Tarlac to COVID-19 quarantine facilities.[16] The Iglesia ni Cristo also allowed the national government to lend the Philippine Arena at the Ciudad de Victoria in Bulacan to be re-purposed for the same reason. The INC also offered the Garden Suites, also within the CDV as temporary residence for health workers.[17]

Testing

Initially, suspected COVID-19 cases in Central Luzon are tested at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Lung Center of the Philippines in Metro Manila. The Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital in Pampanga was the first facility being prepared as a possible COVID-19 testing center for the region.[18] As of March 19, 2021, there are 17 accredited testing laboratories in the region: two in Bataan, five in Bulacan, five in Pampanga, three in Tarlac and two in Zambales.[19]

References
  1. Silverio, Frederick (March 12, 2020). "DoH confirms 3 Covid-19 cases in Central Luzon". The Manila Times. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  2. "COVID-19 Tracker". doh.gov.ph. Department of Health. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  3. "Duterte: PH has 4 more cases of COVID-19; total reaches 24". ABS-CBN News. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  4. Santos, Eimor (March 11, 2020). "Bulacan coronavirus patient is from San Jose Del Monte, officials say". CNN Philippines. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  5. Del Rosario, Marna Dagumboy (March 13, 2020). "First confirmed Covid-19 case in Pampanga bared". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  6. Orejas, Tonette (March 13, 2020). "Grab driver is Pampanga's first COVID-19 case". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  7. Pizarro, Shirley Matias (March 14, 2020). "First COVID-19 positive case reported in Bataan". Manila Bulletin News. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  8. Galang, Marilyn (March 22, 2020). "Nueva Ecija LGUs impose lockdown". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  9. News, ABS-CBN (March 26, 2020). "Zambales confirms first case of COVID-19". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 16, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  10. Calayag, Maria Adelaida (March 26, 2020). "Tarlac records first two COVID-19 cases". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  11. Yumol, David Tristan (March 28, 2020). "Olongapo, Navotas report first COVID-19 case". CNN Philippines. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  12. "Aurora, Quirino virus-free no more". Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  13. "Central Luzon Covid-19 cases breach 1,000 mark". Sun Star Pampanga. July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  14. "Returning OFWs undergo quarantine at We Heal as One Center-World Trade Center | Bases Conversion and Development Authority". Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  15. Luna, Franco (March 16, 2020). "Duterte places entire Luzon under 'enhanced' community quarantine". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  16. Datu, Carlo Lorenzo (April 11, 2020). "'We Heal As One' Centers in Clark ready to accept COVID-19 patients". Philippine Information Agency. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  17. Quismorio, Ellson (April 5, 2020). "INC hailed for offering Philippine Arena as quarantine site". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  18. Orejas, Tonette (April 8, 2020). "Pampanga hospital eyed as COVID-19 test center". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  19. "LICENSED COVID-19 TESTING LABORATORY IN THE PHILIPPINES : 2021 - LICENSED COVID TESTING LAB". DOH Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau. March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.

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