The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, October 17, denied circulating reports claiming that certain areas in the country were placed under lockdown due to the spread of influenza-like illnesses (ILI).
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stressed that there are no plans for a lockdown, calling the reports fake news.
Herbosa made the clarification following social media posts alleging that several areas in Luzon had been locked down due to a supposed ILI outbreak.
He reiterated that there is no outbreak or epidemic of influenza-like illness in the National Capital Region (NCR), noting that the current number of cases is within expectations for the annual flu season.
According to Herbosa, around 133,000 ILI cases were recorded in September 2025, which is lower than the 155,000 cases reported during the same period in 2024.