PNP: Areas under granular lockdown nationwide now at 206

From 170, the number of areas under granular lockdown in the country has climbed to 206, the Philippine National Police said Thursday.

Based on the PNP data as of Wednesday, 103 areas under granular lockdown were reported from the National Capital Region, 57 from Cagayan, 32 from Calabarzon, five from Mimaropa, and one from Cordillera.

A total of 866 people were affected in the locked down areas.

To ensure security and adherence to minimum health standards in the locked down areas, 291 PNP personnel and 326 force multipliers have been deployed.

Granular lockdowns could be implemented on a house, compound, street or building with high cases of infections, according to officials.

Local government units decide on implementing and lifting granular lockdowns.

In September last year, Metro Manila Council (MMC) head and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the presence of one COVID-19 case is enough to impose a lockdown on a house or a condominium floor.

To impose a lockdown on an entire street, he said there should be at least two COVID-19 cases.

Granular lockdowns are micro-level quarantine for areas classified as "critical zones" by the concerned LGUs.

On Wednesday, the Philippines reported 32,246 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the nationwide caseload to 3,058,634.

The new cases also pushed the active tally to 208,164, the highest since April 17, 2021 with 203,710 active cases. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News