MANILA - The Quezon City government is cracking down on drinking sessions among families, friends and neighbors that turn into superspreader events.
Data from the QC government showed index cases in eight out of the 27 areas under granular or special concern lockdown were found to have been infected in drinking sessions within their areas.
"They then went on to contaminate community members in other superspreader events. A drinking session and wedding in Brgy Matandang Balara for example, yielded 69 confirmed cases with 25 still pending as of June 1," a report from the QC public affairs and information services department said.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered local law enforcement units and barangays to conduct foot patrols in alleys and inner roads to monitor social gatherings such as drinking sprees.
She urged residents of erring individuals to report illegal gatherings to Quezon City Hotline 122 so officials can immediately respond to these complaints.
“We are doing our best to control our numbers and yet some individuals continue to violate our protocols. We do not condone this disastrous behavior and will immediately impose legal sanctions on all those involved,” she said in a statement.
“This is what we want to prevent - COVID-19 positive individuals infecting others in social gatherings without minimum health standards being observed. This is why we keep reminding people that gatherings such as inuman sessions are still strictly prohibited,” she added.
A total of 88 index cases have been confirmed in the following areas: Del Mundo St. in Barangay Talipapa; an area in K-10th St. in Barangay East Kamias; an area in Harvard St. in Barangay E. Rodriquez; Manggahan Citizen St., Interville III in Barangay San Agustin; Area 5 in Barangay Capri; Labordo Compound in Barangay Tandang Sora; Area 7, Luzon Ave., in Barangay Matandang Balara; and an area in Geronimo St., in Barangay Sta. Monica.
Around 1,017 families are now under lockdown all of whom are undergoing swab testing. The city’s special concern lockdown areas decreased to as low as 16 on May 20, but have risen to 29 as of today.
Residents and organizers of public gatherings who violate RA 11332 or the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act" or any of the city’s ordinances will be given ordinance violation receipts (OVRs), show-cause orders, or be slapped with cases if proven not to have implemented proper health protocols in their activities.
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