Hundreds queue of buses in the Philippines despite sudden spike in Covid-19 cases

Hundreds queue of buses in the Philippines despite sudden spike in Covid-19 cases

Desperate commuters flocked to bus stops, flouting coronavirus social distancing guidelines, in an attempt to get a ride to work after hours of waiting.

Footage recorded in Caloocan City, the Philippines on Wednesday (July 8) shows workers packed into extremely tight queues on the bus stop during rush hour.

Worryingly, the country has seen a sudden spike in Covid-19 infections in recent days as ministers relax rules.

Onlooker Kristian Mory said he was worried after he saw the commuters struggling to ride the bus as the close distance could spread the coronavirus.

He said: "It seems like they have forgotten about the deadly virus and ignore social distancing to get to work." The capital region Metro Manila has shifted to a more relaxed coronavirus quarantine guidelines but public transport such as buses, trains, and jeepneys, are only allowed to operate under a half-capacity rule.

The government has deployed vehicles offering free rides to try and manage the shortage of vehicles in the region.

The Philippines has the second most COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia as of Wednesday July 8 with a total of 51,754 infections and 1,314 deaths.