DUE to the surge in Covid-19 cases, Metro Manila will again be placed under Alert Level 3 for two weeks from Monday (Jan 3).
The Manila Times quoted acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles saying that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) decided to raise the alert level in Metro Manila because of the high possibility of local transmission of the Omicron variant.
Yesterday, the Department of Health recorded 2,961 new Infections, the highest since November 10, when 2,639 were reported. Of the 2,961 new cases, 2,927 or 99 percent occurred in the last 14 days. Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Central Luzon had the most number of cases.
Covid-related deaths increased by 132, for a total of 51,504 fatalities.
The Department of Health (DoH) confirmed the detection of three local cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 on Friday.
"Of the three local Omicron variant cases, two are from the Bicol Region while the other is from the National Capital Region," the DoH said.
There were also seven additional imported cases, pushing the total number of cases to 14.
The Health department noted that the three local cases indicated "a high possibility of local transmission" and warned the public against disregarding minimum public health protocols.
Under Alert Level 3, intrazonal travel will be allowed subject to restrictions imposed by local government units. Business establishments will be allowed to operate at a maximum of 30 percent indoor capacity.
Beginning today, the Philippines will not allow the entry of travelers from six countries in the red list of the IATF, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said as it released an updated country risk classification.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente on Friday said the bureau will enforce the latest resolution of the IATF-EID that classified countries under the red, yellow and green lists.
Morente added that the listing will be in place until Jan. 15, 2022.
Countries under the red list (high risk for Covid-19) are Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Spain.
The BI chief said those coming from "red" countries, or have a travel history there within the last 14 days preceding arrival, shall be barred entry and be sent back to their point of origin.
Filipinos coming from these countries can return via government- or non-government-initiated repatriation flights or 'bayanihan' flights.
Countries included in the green list (low risk) are Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, China (Mainland), Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, Gambia, Guinea, Hong Kong (Chinese Special Administrative Region) and Indonesia.
Also included in this list are Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Montserrat, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of The Netherlands), Saint Barthelemy, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Taiwan, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Uganda and United Arab Emirates.
Morente said all other countries, territories or jurisdictions not mentioned are under the yellow list.
"Only Filipinos, balikbayan (Filipinos returning from abroad) and foreign nationals with long-term visas coming from green and yellow list countries may be allowed entry to the Philippines," he added.