Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippines has decided toease quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila from September 8 to balancecontaining the pandemic and supporting the economy, while Cambodia has seen anincrease in its daily COVID-19 cases.

Harry Roque, spokesman of Philippine President RodrigoDuterte, said in a news briefing on September 6 that Metro Manila, which is home tosome 13 million people, would be under the more relaxed restrictions from September 8till the end of the month.

Granular lockdowns is expected to be more effective, henoted, adding that the measure can be imposed on a street, a house or acommunity.

The decision came as the nation logs over 20,000 newinfections for a third straight day, doubling the number posted on the beginningof the latest restriction order.

The Philippines has to date recorded over 2 million COVID-19cases and some 34,000 deaths.

Also on September 6, the Cambodian Ministry of Healthconfirmed 528 new COVID-19 infections, including 340 community cases, and 13deaths.

The country has so far logged 95,828 cases with 91,131 recoveriesand 1,970 deaths.

Meanwhile, in its September 6 briefing, Thailand’s Centrefor COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) warned of a new infection surgenext month if people lower their guard due to eased restrictions andcomplacency due to the declining number of new cases.

New infections could reach 30,000 a day next month if peoplerelax social distancing and other measures, said CCSA spokesperson TaweesilpVisanuyothin.

Thailand’s number of daily cases reduced to under 14,000 onSeptember 6 after reaching its peak of 23,418 on August 13.

Since the pandemic started in the nation early last year,there have been 1,294,522 COVID-19 cases, with 13.042 deaths so far./.