Following the spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases throughout the National Capital Region (NCR), the City of Manila logged over 1,000 cases on Wednesday, Jan 5.
There are 1,124 active COVID-19 cases in Manila now, the city government said.
Manila’s Tondo district holds the highest number of cases at 476.
Hospitals and medical facilities around Manila are also currently swamped with patients.
The 344-bed Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital in Ermita, Manila is nearly fully occupied as 331 patients (96 percent) have been admitted for quarantine, while Ospital ng Tondo currently has an occupancy rate of 89 percent, and Ospital ng Sampaloc with a 73 percent occupancy rate.
Meanwhile, the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center emergency room remains closed for disinfection while about 50 of its staff, who tested positive for COVID-19, are under isolation.
As a result of the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the Manila city government has also decided to cancel the yearly Traslacion of the Black Nazarene on Friday, Jan. 9, opting instead to hold online Masses.
“Walang traslacion, walang physical mass, sarado ang simbahan. Online Mass tayo (No traslacion, no physical Mass, the church will be closed. There will be online Mass only),” said Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso during a live press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 5.
Domagoso also prohibited the sale of liquor in Manila through City Ordinance No. 5555 in order to prevent social gatherings during the religious festival.