Pasay City placed 35 more villages under localized community quarantine (LCQ) on Thursday, raising the total to 89, the local government reported.

On Wednesday, the local government lifted LCQ in Barangays 20, 71, 90,161,162, and 194 that reduced the total to 54.

Based on the data of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Pasay is enforcing more stringent health measures in Barangays 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 19, 23, 24, 26, 29, 31, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 44, 46, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 72, 76, 83, 85, 86, 91, 93, 94, 103, 104, 106, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 120, 124, 125, 126, 130, 135, 136, 137, 138, 141, 145, 147, 150, 151, 152, 159, 161, 612, 166, 168, 170, 171, 172, 177, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 193, 196, 198, and 201.

One building, 101 households, and one barangay were also under monitoring.

On Tuesday, the city government also removed 25 out of 77 villages from the LCQ list.

Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano said dense communities and establishments too close to one another, as well as the continuous movement of residents and non-residents alike, may have contributed to the spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

As of Thursday, the city has 552 actives cases after registering 80 infections. Total cases are now at 8,844 and deaths at 229. There were also 39 new recoveries.

Rubiano added that the city government is exerting “aggressive contact tracing efforts and strict implementation of minimum health standards” to contain the further transmission of the disease.

“Any household or compound that has confirmed infections will be locked down and the patients will be brought to isolation facilities for treatment,” she said.

Cases mostly came from workplaces outside Pasay.

“Another factor is that the airport, light trail transits, and bus stations are located in Pasay. I think there are millions of people entering the city and we have opened the economy,” she added. “The city government is doing its best to contain the spread of Covid-19 cases within communities and is vigilant against the threat of the new South African variant.”