The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Wednesday, June 30, modified some of the quarantine classifications announced by President Rodrigo Duterte last Monday, June 28.

The changes are as follows:

● Ifugao downgraded to MGCQ from GCQ until July 31
● Apayao downgraded to GCQ from MECQ until July 15

The modifications were formalized by the IATF’s Resolution No. 124.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 4,509 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, June 30, bringing the total caseload of the Philippines to 1,412,559.

The number of deaths due to the disease climbed to 24,662, after 105 more deaths were reported.  

Data from the DOH showed that of the total number of cases, 3.4% or 48,649 were active. 

The Philippines’ recoveries also increased to 1,339,248 after 5,839 more people recovered. 

The DOH earlier explained that the relatively low number of cases on the first three working days of the week are due to testing laboratories that are either closed or unable to submit data on time during weekends. 

The DOH said all testing laboratories in the country were operational on Monday, June 28, but that six laboratories were unable to submit data into the department’s COVID-19 document repository system. The laboratories account for 1.6% of samples tested and 2.2% of positive individuals.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 4,479 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, June 29, bringing the total caseload of the Philippines to 1,408,058. 

Of the total number of cases, 3.6% or 50,037 were active. 

The number of deaths due to the disease climbed to 24,557, after 101 more deaths were reported.  

The Philippines now has 1,333,464 recoveries after 6,471 more people were cured of the disease. 

The DOH said all testing laboratories in the country were operational on June 27, but that 14 labs were unable to submit data into the department’s COVID-19 document repository system. The labs account for 5.4% of samples tested and 6.5% of positive individuals.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday, June 29, that the government’s coronavirus task force has allowed recreational venues to operate in modified general community quarantine or MGCQ areas starting July.

These include establishments like internet cafes, billiards, and arcades. 

Live or in-person sabong (cockfighting) is still prohibited under all types of community quarantine classifications.

Roque said only e-sabong activities – where cockfighting is done in a studio but with no live audience – licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation are allowed for now.

The Philippines is interested in securing a share of Canada’s surplus COVID-19 vaccine doses to aid in its vaccination efforts.

Philippine Ambassador to Canada Rodolfo Robles said the country has been listed among those interested in receiving excess vaccines as Canada is expected to have a surplus of around 100 million doses.

“Before the end of the year, we will know how [many] excess [vaccines] Canada will have. I am really watching with an eagle eye on the prospect of getting some excess directly from Canada,” Robles said in a Malacañang press briefing on Monday, June 28.

Robles said Canada is expecting that a substantial part of its population would be fully vaccinated by the fourth quarter of 2021.

The Philippines’ coronavirus cases surpassed 1.4 million, after the Department of Health (DOH) reported over 5,000 new cases on Monday, June 28.

Details here.