Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Wednesday said ‘Tondo 1’ district will be placed under a hard lockdown over the weekend for the conduct of mass testing as cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) continue to rise in the area.

“We will try again 48 hours. I think that is good enough to do massive testing. I’m hoping that it will have a better effect with regard (to) infection or contagion of Covid-19,” Domagoso said in a statement.

He added that the executive order for the lockdown will be released on Thursday as the city government is still finalizing its details.

Wet and dry markets and grocery stores inside the Tondo 1 area will be closed during the hard lockdown.

Domagoso said the city government is targeting the Rosario Almario Elementary School, T. Paez High School, Tondo High School, and Isabelo Delos Reyes Elementary School as venues for mass testing.

Data from the Manila Health Department showed as of Tuesday, there are 81 active cases of Covid-19 and 222 suspect cases in Tondo 1.

The city government earlier implemented the measure in Sampaloc district from 8 p.m. of April 23 to 8 p.m. of April 25 due to the rise in Covid-19 cases in the area. (PNA)

Photo Credit: Facebook/iskomorenodomagoso