MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday, March 9, announced the suspension of voter registration after additional cases of the novel coronavirus were recorded in the Philippines.

The poll body said that the suspension will start on Tuesday, March 10, and will remain in place until the end of the month on March 31.

“The public is advised to take all necessary precaution to limit their exposure to the possibility of [developing] COVID-19,” Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez told reporters.

COVID-19 is the name of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Comelec earlier resumed voter registration for the 2022 elections last January 20. The registration period is scheduled to run until September 30, 2021.

The Comelec had resumed this round of voter registration in light of the postponement of the May 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections to December 2022.

As of Monday afternoon, the Department of Health recorded 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This included the first death outside China and the first case of local transmission in the Philippines. (READ: Novel coronavirus cases in Philippines spike to 20 
)

Worldwide, the death toll from the coronavirus stood at 3,803, while over 109,000 were infected across 104 countries. – Rappler.com