More than 10,000 members of El Shaddai, a religious group, gathered in Sucat, Parañaque, over the weekend amid the COVID-19 spread in Metro Manila.
“24 Oras” reported Monday that it was the Catholic charismatic group’s first gathering since community quarantines were implemented in March.
According to the event organizers, they took the required procedures to conduct the gathering.
They also said the participants observed the mandated health protocols such as physical distancing and wearing face masks.
The organizers added they followed the government’s restriction of 10 percent capacity in worship venues, hence the 10,000 attendees.
The El Shaddai members said that they would again hold similar religious gatherings in the next days.
El Shaddai is the biggest Catholic charismatic movement in the Philippines. Brother Mike Velarde leads the movement.
Also read: DOH discourages use of rapid tests for mass screening workers
4 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Ilocos Norte
Four new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Ilocos Norte, according to Gov. Matthew Manotoc, in a Facebook post this Monday.
As a result, the number of cases of such diseases in the province is 9. According to Manotoc, all new cases are asymptomatic.
The patient identified as Ilocos Norte Case Number (IN-CN) 6 is a 44-year-old utility worker from Barangay Saud, Pagudpod assigned to the quarantine facility in the said town.
Meanwhile, IN-CN 7 is a 20-year-old pregnant woman from Barangay 16 in Vintar town. She allegedly came from Manila and was quarantined in the city. According to Vintar Mayor Larisa Foronda, the woman’s baby is healthy, as is the father.
The 8th coronavirus patient of the province, or IN-CN 8, is a 21-year-old nurse of Brgy. San Vicente, Laoag City with a history of COVID-19 exposure in Metro Manila.
IN-C9 is a 2-year-old girl from Pagudpud, where three sites in Saud were locked down, including Maligaya, Kamayeng, and Jupiter.
Those who met four new patients were also identified and quarantined. They will be subjected to a swab test again.
As of July 20, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has increased to 69,898.
DOH reported an additional 1,521 coronavirus-infected patients, with the majority of which came from the National Capital Region with 1,237, followed by Cavite province and Laguna with 51 each, Rizal with 34, and, Davao del Sur with 22.