Quezon City on red alert as COVID-19 cases rise

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government yesterday urged citizens to practice precautionary measures amid the rising number of COVID cases.

In an advisory, the local government said it has raised the “red status alert” in its COVID-19 early warning system.

This was after it reported an average of 27 new cases per day from Dec. 4 to 7, up 57.9 percent the previous week.

The average positivity rate based on tests conducted is at 14.55 percent, while the average daily attack rate is at .85 per 100,000 people.

While the actual number of cases remains low, the city said the red status was raised due to the growth rate of more than 50 percent and the average positivity rate of more than five percent.

In June 2022, the QC Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (QCESU) devised an early warning system to monitor cases, analyze trends and recommend necessary measures to prevent an outbreak.

QCESU chief Dr. Rolando Cruz attributed the rise in cases to get-togethers and parties this Christmas season and the relaxed COVID restrictions such as wearing of 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,” he said.

Mayor Joy Belmonte also urged residents to implement personal precautionary measures such as wearing of masks in public and staying indoors when experiencing symptoms.

“These are basic precautionary measures that we have been doing for the past years. It is important that we continue implementing this for our safety especially now that cases are rising,” she added.

As of Dec. 7, there are 186 active COVID-19 cases recorded in Quezon City.