The Parañaque City government created a composite task force on Tuesday to be deployed all over the city to strictly implement health protocols following a spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases by 20 percent in two weeks and the detection of the South African variant of the disease in three city residents.
City Administrator Atty. Fernando Soriano said Mayor Edwin Olivarez ordered the immediate creation of composite teams from the local police and barangays due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the city from the reported 358 on March 7 to 396 on March 8, or an increase of 38 cases in just a single day.
Soriano said Olivarez ordered the police and barangay officials to conduct a 24-hour monitoring all over the city and arrest all violators.
He said that instead of implementing a granular lockdown in the city, Olivarez wants the composite teams to strictly implement the wearing of face mask, face shield, and the observance of physical distancing.
Olivarez also prohibited mass gatherings along the streets and other public places following reports that three residents have already been afflicted with the South African (SA) variant of COVID-19.
The mayor said that Barangay Baclaran, which is located at the boundary of Parañaque and Pasay, has the highest number of COVID-19 cases at 67.