COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon

The COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus reached Central Luzon on March 9, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in San Jose del Monte.[1] All provinces in the region has recorded COVID-19 cases.

COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon
Confirmed cases in Central Luzon by province (as of August 25)[note 1]
  1000–4999 confirmed
  500–999 confirmed
  100–499 confirmed
  50–99 confirmed
  10–49 confirmed
  1–9 confirmed
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationCentral Luzon
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseSan Jose del Monte, Bulacan
Arrival dateMarch 9, 2020
(10 months and 4 weeks)
Confirmed cases34,681
Recovered31,659
Deaths
838
Government website
centralluzon.doh.gov.ph

Background

The first case was initially reported to be a resident of Santa Maria, Bulacan[2] but was eventually clarified to be from San Jose del Monte, still in the same province.[3][1] The patient has no travel history abroad.[1] The first case per province by date of confirmation as is as follows:

  • Pampanga – March 13[4][5]
  • Bataan – March 14[6]
  • Nueva Ecija – March 22[7]
  • Tarlac and Zambales – March 26;[8][9] the first case in Tarlac is a 75-year-old woman from Barangay Patalan in Paniqui while the second patient is a 39-year-old man from Barangay Pinasling in Gerona. In Zambales the first case is a 73-year-old US citizen living in Barangay San Gregorio in San Antonio who had traveled from Cavite to Manila before returning to the province on March 15.
  • Olongapo – March 28[10]
  • Aurora – August 12[11]

On July 6, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region has breached the 1,000 mark with 1,021 cases and 75 deaths.[12]

Response
Former COVID-19 patients being discharged from the We Heal As One Center at the Philippine Arena Complex.

Repatriation from abroad

Central Luzon was also a major quarantine site for repatriates from abroad, particularly New Clark City Sports Hub in Capas, Tarlac. The first two COVID-19 cases among repatriates in New Clark City were confirmed on March 11.[1][13]

Lockdowns
An empty Pulilan Regional Road in Pulilan, Bulacan on March 23, 2020, during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine

The region is under the scope of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon imposed by the national government on March 16.[14]

Quarantine facilities

In April, the national government began converting the ASEAN Convention Center at the Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga and the National Government Administrative Center in Capas, Tarlac to COVID-19 quarantine facilities.[15] The Iglesia ni Cristo also allowed the national government to lend the Philippine Arena at the Ciudad de Victoria in Bulacan to be re-purposed for the same reason. The INC also offered the Garden Suites, also within the CDV as temporary residence for health workers.[16]

Testing

Suspected COVID-19 cases in Central Luzon are tested at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Lung Center of the Philippines in Metro Manila. The Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital in Pampanga is being prepared as a possible COVID-19 testing center for the region.[17]

References
  1. Silverio, Frederick (March 12, 2020). "DoH confirms 3 Covid-19 cases in Central Luzon". The Manila Times. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  2. "Duterte: PH has 4 more cases of COVID-19; total reaches 24". ABS-CBN News. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  3. Santos, Eimor (March 11, 2020). "Bulacan coronavirus patient is from San Jose Del Monte, officials say". CNN Philippines. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  4. Del Rosario, Marna Dagumboy (March 13, 2020). "First confirmed Covid-19 case in Pampanga bared". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  5. Orejas, Tonette. "Grab driver is Pampanga's first COVID-19 case". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  6. Pizarro, Shirley Matias (March 14, 2020). "First COVID-19 positive case reported in Bataan". Manila Bulletin News. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  7. Galang, Marilyn (March 22, 2020). "Nueva Ecija LGUs impose lockdown". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  8. News, ABS-CBN (March 26, 2020). "Zambales confirms first case of COVID-19". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  9. Calayag, Maria Adelaida (March 26, 2020). "Tarlac records first two COVID-19 cases". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  10. Yumol, David Tristan (March 28, 2020). "Olongapo, Navotas report first COVID-19 case". CNN Philippines. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  11. "Aurora, Quirino virus-free no more". Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  12. "Central Luzon Covid-19 cases breach 1,000 mark". Sun Star Pampanga. July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  13. https://bcda.gov.ph/returning-ofws-undergo-quarantine-we-heal-one-center-world-trade-center
  14. Luna, Franco (March 16, 2020). "Duterte places entire Luzon under 'enhanced' community quarantine". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  15. Datu, Carlo Lorenzo (April 11, 2020). "'We Heal As One' Centers in Clark ready to accept COVID-19 patients". Philippine Information Agency. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  16. Quismorio, Ellson (April 5, 2020). "INC hailed for offering Philippine Arena as quarantine site". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  17. Orejas, Tonette (April 8, 2020). "Pampanga hospital eyed as COVID-19 test center". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 14, 2020.

Notes
  1. Breakdown of confirmed cases is according to the COVID-19 Case Tracker of the Department of Health.
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