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Bloomberg
The Philippine capital remained under loose movement restrictions from Thursday, but may return on a stricter lockdown in two weeks if coronavirus cases continue to rise.
Metro Manila will stay under general community quarantine until end-July, allowing most businesses to remain open, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a televised
briefing. The health department on Thursday said the
nation added 2,498 cases, bringing total infections to 61,266 while deaths increased by 29 to 1,643.
Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte initially wanted to reimpose strict stay-home orders and limit business operations in the capital following a University of the Philippines’ study which projected that virus cases may rise to 80,000 by the end of the month.
Mayors in the capital region however pledged to intensify targeted lockdowns and testing. Coronavirus cases in the Philippines have more than tripled since stay-home orders in the capital were lifted and most businesses were allowed to reopen starting June. The Philippines has the second-highest number of infections in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia.