MANILA, Philippines – The Municipality of Mauban in Quezon Province has ordered the temporary lockdown of Cagbalete Island and other tourist sites for 14 days amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The lockdown started on Tuesday, March 10, and will last until March 23. 

“The two-week lockdown will help health personnel and other concerned agencies to monitor and assess local situation and will give time to prepare for a long-term plan to protect the municipality and its people from the national threat,” the memorandum dated March 9 read. 

The municipal government said that business owners in the island “shall develop strategies on rebooking (for those who already booked their stay) and other mechanisms which are both advantageous to the businesses and the clients.” 

The order came after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of public health emergency on Monday, March 9. 

Duterte’s declaration was based on the recommendation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who earlier raised the Philippines’ coronavirus alert system to Code Red-Sublevel 1, due to the first case of local transmission.

As of Tuesday, the Philippines has 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Of this number, 30 are currently admitted to hospitals, two have been discharged, and one has died. 

The global death toll has reached 4,012, with 3,136 of the fatalities in China. The number of cases worldwide has risen to 114,151, with 80,754 of the infections in China. The virus has spread to 105 countries. – Rappler.com