27 million people in the Philippines back in lockdown

In the Philippines, stricter measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Another lockdown has been imposed in the capital Manila and surrounding areas, for around 27 million people. Residents should stay home as much as possible over the next two weeks. They are only allowed to leave the house to run errands or exercise. Public transport, airports and restaurants are closed again.

In the Philippines, one of the strictest lockdown regimes in the world was lifted in June, but measures have been tightened again since doctors sounded the alarm last weekend. The number of new infections has increased five-fold in recent days, to over 100,000, and hospitals cannot cope with the influx of patients. The doctors warned of the collapse of the health care system.

The official death toll in the Philippines stands at more than 2,000 people. The country is on track to overtake Indonesia as the hardest hit country in Southeast Asia.

The rapid introduction of the measures has left many people stranded. There is no bus or train transport home for them anymore. In some places, just before the lockdown, people hoarded food.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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