Nineteen seminarians and staff at the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) contracted coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In an interview with TeleRadyo, Executive Director of Jesuit Communications Fr. Emmanuel "Nono" Alfonso, SJ said the school suspected the virus came from staff members.
"Yung mga pari po kasi tsaka seminarista hindi naman lumalabas, pinagbawalan silang lumabas since last year. Pero meron pong pumapasok, yung mga staff, kusinero, maintenance. Yun po yung suspicion ng aming dokor baka dun po nanggaling yung virus (The priests and seminarians haven't been going out out since last year. But there are people who come in here, the staff, cooks, maintenance personnel. The suspicion of our doctor was the virus may have come from them)," Alfonso said.
Alfonso said one priest was taken to the hospital while the rest are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. He added that everyone has been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Three buildings, including the Loyola House of Studies where the infections occurred, are currently locked down.
"Yun po kasing mga religious priest and seminarians meron silang tinatawag na community life. Sama-samang kumakain, sama-samang nagsisimba kaya kailangan naming i-adjust sa buhay namin ngayon kasi madaling magkahawaan pag ganyan lagi (Religious priests and seminarians have what is called a community life. They eat together, go to church together so we have to adjust now because it's easily to het infected if we're like that all the time)," Alfonso said.