Baguio City locks down 34 barangays amid COVID-19 surge

Baguio City has imposed lockdowns on 34 of its 128 barangays due to a continuous surge in COVID-19 cases, which reached 253 as of Sunday, August 16.

This surge includes the city's record high of 27 new cases in a single day, along with one death.

The lockdowns are implemented to facilitate contact tracing and disinfection efforts in affected areas.

A barangay is typically placed under lockdown for 48 hours if a resident tests positive for the virus.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong noted that case clustering, particularly among relatives and household members, has been observed within the city.

One case, a call center representative named Joan May Dumlao, who has asthma, contracted the virus despite working from home and adhering to health protocols, and she disclosed her positive result to inform her contacts.