Authorities scrambled to deal with another potential coronavirus superspreader event over the weekend as thousands descended on a popular river resort in Norzagaray, Bulacan without wearing face masks and without observing minimum health protocols.
Police said Monday they investigated more than 2,000 people who went to the Bakas River in Barangay Matictic and issued citation tickets to 75 persons for swimming despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, three more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in a pool party and drinking session on May 11 in Novaliches, Quezon City, the city government said Monday.
Dr. Rolando Cruz, chief of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said this brought total infections from the event alone to 54.
The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday also reminded the public that the fight against COVID-19 has not yet been won despite the decrease in cases, after dozens of party attendees in QC and an earlier event in Caloocan City tested positive for COVID-19.
Police Col. Lawrence Cajipe, director of the Bulacan Police Provincial Office, said they also sent home hundreds more after barangay officials were overwhelmed with the crowds that came to Bakas River. The picnic grounds beside the river were closed to the public on Monday.
"We also learned that instead of keeping the people from entering, some barangay officials charged entrance fees to the river area," Cajipe told ABS-CBN in an interview.
A TV report on GMA-7 said some of the tourists were not wearing face masks or face shields, and minors were present in the area.
The province of Bulacan is currently under a General Community Quarantine with heightened restrictions, as authorities have allowed outdoor tourist attractions to operate at up to 30 percent capacity.
The provincial government has yet to issue a statement on the issue.
It also could not be established at presstime if any of the tourists at Bakas River were tested for the coronavirus.
Jhorolar Andres, municipal legal officer of Norzagaray, called on the public to follow the 30-percent rule if and when the river — a popular spot for Bulakenos to escape the withering summer heat —would be opened to the public again.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte slammed the village chief and directed the city legal officer to look into any culpability of the local officials in Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon.
On May 11, hundreds of people attended a pool party, drinking spree and videoke session at a covered court. Video footage showed those who attended the event were not wearing face masks or face shields while standing near one another.
The city government is still awaiting for the swab test of 20 others.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, in an online briefing, lamented how a public pool party and drinking session in Quezon City had led to more than 50 COVID-19 infections.
“It’s shocking and saddening how, even after repeated reminders that while cases are decreasing, specifically in NCR, we are not out of the woods yet,” Vergeire said in Filipino.
“The virus is still here and cases may increase again,” she said.
The DOH was coordinating with local governments units (LGUs) to ensure the strict enforcement of health protocols against COVID-19.
Vergeire also called on the public to remain vigilant and avoid parties for now.
“We know everyone is excited to have fun but let’s all continue to be cautious,” Vergeire said.
The Philippines logged 4,973 new COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,184,706, as six laboratories failed to submit their data on time, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.
The DOH reported 39 new fatalities, bringing the death toll from COVID-19 to 19,983.
The DOH also reported 6,666 patients who recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 1,115,806.
This left 48,917 active cases, of which 92.9 percent were mild, 2 percent of which were asymptomatic, 1.6 percent of which were critical, 2.1 percent of which were severe, and 1.4 percent of which were moderate.
The DOH also reported that, nationwide, 60 percent of ICU beds, 45 percent of isolation beds, 47 percent of ward beds, and 40 percent of ventilators were in use.
In Metro Manila, 61 percent of ICU beds, 39 percent of isolation beds, 41 percent of ward beds, and 39 percent of ventilators were in use.
The OCTA Research Group which has been tracking the pandemic said cases in Metro Manila are going down, but have yet to return to pre-surge levels.
OCTA has urged a "gradual and calibrated" easing of restrictions as the capital region recorded a seven-day average of 1,100 cases from the previous week.
“We have yet to return to pre-surge levels so it means there's still danger. We still need to follow minimum health protocols,” OCTA’s Guido David said in Filipino in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
“The virus is still here. Let's be careful of superspreader events.
The trend can reverse and cases might rise again in NCR,” he added.
David said the number of virus cases in Metro Manila is generally decreasing but is unstable in some parts like Laguna.
The NCR Plus bubble, composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna were placed under strict lockdown in late March due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
It was gradually eased into a general community quarantine with heightened restrictions on May 15.
Outside the capital region, virus infections are increasing in Puerto Princesa City, Bacolod City, Davao City, Iloilo City, and Zamboanga City, he added.
The weekly growth rate of virus cases in Iloilo City is slowing down while Zamboanga City has the second most number of virus infections nationwide after Quezon City, David said.
In other developments:
• Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday called for stricter COVID-19 measures in Northern Mindanao due to the alarming increase in the number of cases and called on Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to help control the situation. He said the region might benefit from a change in its quarantine classification, as well as localized lockdowns in areas with particularly alarming surges.
• Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City said hospitals in his city are full and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has yet to reimburse their claims. The mayor said he was set to meet with PhilHealth president and chief executive Dante Gierran on Tuesday. He added that he has already met with the state insurer and hospitals three times.