UP Academic Oval Closes to Public as COVID-19 Cases Rise

Beginning Jan. 10.

by Erwin Colcol

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The UP Diliman Academic Oval closed to the public anew on Monday as the country experienced a new surge in COVID-19 cases believed to be driven by the Omicron variant.

In an advisory on social media, the university said the oval, along with other public spaces on the campus, will be closed off to the public starting Jan. 10. No reopening date was announced.

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Along with the closure of the Academic Oval, the university also announced that all its units would be on work from home arrangement from Jan. 10 to 18 as a preventive measure against the rising COVID-19 cases.

The UP Health Service, serving as the healthcare facility of the university, is also temporarily closed for face-to-face consultations, including its emergency room, from Jan. 9 to 18 to allow its health workers to recuperate. Teleconsultation services continue.

Metro Manila and several provinces and cities have been upgraded to Alert Level 3 until Jan. 15 as daily infections approach record highs. On Sunday, the country recorded a new all-time high of 28,707 COVID-19 cases in a single day, beating the record from the previous day.

Health Sec. Francisco Duque III on Saturday floated the possibility of raising Metro Manila's quarantine status to Alert Level 4 as authorities move to cap the surge.

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