President Duterte orders lockdown of Philippine capital Manila to fight coronavirus outbreak

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a month-long lockdown of the whole of Metro Manila, a measure applying to some 12.8 million people in the capital. He appeared on television on March 12, 2020, to announce imminent restrictions for Manila and its surrounding districts. The deadly coronavirus that causes Covid-19 had infected at least 52 people and taken 5 lives in the country as of March 12.