A compound in Barangay Tandang Sora in Quezon City has been placed under special concern lockdown after a resident, who eventually tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), attended a birthday celebration and infected several others.
“We had to place this area under lockdown so as to stop further infections. From an index case, has infected more people because of a social gathering,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in enforcing the lockdown on Friday.
According to the local government, the index case is a female government agency worker, whose workplace already has "a number of COVID-19 cases."
The local government added that although the patient already experienced COVID-19 symptoms in the first week of December, she, along with her family and friends, still celebrated a birthday in their compound. And on December 9, she found out she was positive for the disease.
Following the discovery, city officials immediately moved to identify a total of 81 individuals who got in close contact with her. Of 44 who underwent swab testing, 10 already tested positive for COVID-19 while others are still waiting for their results.
“This is a perfect example of why it is important not to engage in any social gathering such as parties and reunions because one can get infected just by co-mingling with a symptomatic individual,” Mayor Belmonte said in a statement.
Dr. Rolly Cruz, head of the Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit, stressed that if the patient just "did not join the party, she would not have infected everyone in her household and even her neighbors and friends."
Belmonte appealed to her constituents to "celebrate the holidays in the new normal."
"We understand that you miss your relatives already but in order to protect them and yourself, we should celebrate separately. I ask all QC residents to please be responsible in their actions during this season,” she said.