QC under Covid-19 'red warning status' due to rise in cases
By Hannah Nicol
The Quezon City local government announced on Saturday, Dec. 9, that the city was placed under "red warning status" after the number of Covid-19 cases in the city rose in the past weeks.
According to the city's Public Information Office (PIO), the daily average Covid-19 cases on Dec. 4 to 7 reached 27, marking a 57.9% increase compared to the previous week's record.
The average positivity rate based on tests is at 14.55%.
In addition, the daily average attack rate per 100,000 population is at 0.85, and the forecasted reproduction number is 1.
In June 2022, the QC Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (QCESU) implemented the early warning system to monitor cases, analyze trends, and propose necessary measures to prevent outbreaks.
The parameter showed that in the current COVID-19 data, the warning status was raised to red since the growth rate has reached 50% and the average is beyond 5.
QCESU chief Dr. Rolando Cruz attributed the surge in cases to get-together events and parties during Christmas with the relaxed Covid-19 restrictions, including wearing masks
"We have seen in the past years during the height of the pandemic that holiday seasons really attract more cases. Since the chilly weather can also affect the immunity of our people, we would like to remind our QCitizens to remain vigilant especially for COVID-like symptoms such as cough, colds, and fever," Dr. Cruz said.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged QCitizens to adopt preventive measures, including wearing masks in public and staying indoors when experiencing symptoms.
"These are basic preventive measures we have been doing for years. It is important that we continue implementing this for our safety especially now that cases are rising," Mayor Belmonte said.
As of Dec. 7, 186 active COVID-19 cases were recorded in Quezon City, PIO said.