By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
The Mandaluyong City government has prohibited the holding of wakes during the period of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
In an Executive Order, Mayor Carmelita Abalos ordered that all deceased should be buried or cremated within 48 hours after the time of death.
If the deceased was identified as positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the body should be cremated within 24 hours, the order read.
The same rule also applies to deceased persons under monitoring (PUMs) or persons under investigation (PUIs) for the disease.
Abalos noted that the burial of the deceased should be done in accordance to the religion or custom of the dead.
Under the measure, violators may be arrested and charged under Republic Act 11332, the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.”
They may also face charges for resistance and disobedience to a person in authority if they will not cooperate.
President Duterte has placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine until April 14 due to the spread of COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, the local government reported that there are 22 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mandaluyong with two confirmed deaths.
In an advisory, the city government also recorded two PUI deaths.
Mandaluyong currently has 92 PUIs and 373 PUMs being closely monitored by health officials in the city.