The Quezon City government issued a cease-and-desist order and notice of violation against the management of a club on E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue on Monday, August 26, for its refusal to cooperate in the city's contact tracing measure against possible mpox transmission.
According to the city’s public information office, a team of contact tracers from the city failed to conduct its investigation due to the establishment’s refusal to cooperate.
The city’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD) of the Health Department (QCHD) visited the establishment on Saturday, August 24, to initiate contact tracing for both personnel and customers of the club.
The move was in response to the Department of Health's (DOH) instructions following the detection of the first mpox case in the country .
However, the management refused to cooperate.
“Itinuturing nating banta sa kalusugan at kapakanan ng mga QCitizen ang ganitong pagtanggi sa isinasagawa nating contact tracing efforts. Maagap ‘yung ginagawa nating pagtugon at imbestigasyon, pero napapatagal at nade-delay dahil ayaw makipag-cooperate (We consider such resistance to our contact tracing efforts a serious threat to the health and well-being of QCitizens. While we respond and investigate promptly, the process gets delayed because of the lack of cooperation),” City Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
The cease-and-desist order was issued under Republic Act No. 11332, also known as the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act.
The act prohibits non-cooperation of individuals or entities identified as having a notifiable disease or being affected by a public health event.
Belmonte urged business owners to work with the city government, particularly regarding public health and safety.
“Nananawagan ako sa mga residente at business owners na makiisa at makipag-cooperate sa mga health event investigation ng lungsod. Ginagawa lang namin ang aming responsibilidad para matiyak na protektado at ligtas ang lahat ng QCitizens (I urge residents and business owners to participate and cooperate with the city’s health event investigations. We are simply fulfilling our responsibility to ensure that all QCitizens are protected and safe),” the mayor said.