Philippines orders 24 million in and around Manila into lockdown

The Philippines ordered more than 24 million people in and around Manila into a coronavirus lockdown Saturday, as hospitals in the capital struggle to cope with a surge in infections.

The Philippines reported 9,838 coronavirus cases on Friday, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began, as the World Bank called for vaccinations to be a priority to limit further deaths and support the country’s health system.

Complicating the government’s vaccination drive is the reluctance of most Filipinos to receive vaccines due to safety fears, an opinion poll showed, despite wide-scale worries about contracting the virus.

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