A woman in Zamboanga City who tested positive for COVID-19 transmitted the virus to her 26 neighbors.
The 78-year-old patient, who is a resident of Barangay Zone II, infected her son and 11 children, including a two-year-old boy, the local inter-agency task force on COVID-19 reported.
According to Barangay chairman Nonito Aranas, more than 70 persons in the densely populated barangay underwent swab testing for the respiratory disease.
Aranas said they struggle to impose physical distancing in the highly congested village.
Forty-one were added to the list of confirmed COVID-19 cases in this city, bringing the total to 529.
As of Thursday, the Zamboanga Peninsula logged 665 COVID-19 cases, 262 recoveries, and 15 deaths.
The Philippines, meanwhile, now has more COVID-19 cases than China, as the Department of Health (DOH) reports hospitals are closed to being overwhelmed.
The health department reported 1,874 new coronavirus cases on July 29, bringing the total to 85, 486. China, as of the latest data, has a total of 84,060 COVID-19 cases.
Also read: China vows to prioritize Philippines COVID-19 vaccine needs
Malabon LGU to detain those who will resist COVID-19 test
Individuals who refuse mass testing conducted by Malabon City will be arrested and charged.
Based on the agreement of the Malabon City Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (MCTF-MEID), those who do not want to be tested, particularly those in contact tracing and those identified by the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs), will be arrested and detained.
According to City Administrator and MCTF-MEID Member Atty. Voltaire de la Cruz, two laws, will be used to enforce mass testing strictly. One is Disobedience to a Person in Authority or violation of authority under the Revised Penal Code.
Anyone who refuses the COVID-19 testing would be charged with ‘Non-cooperation’ according to Republic Act No.11332 or Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
Dela Cruz said they need to tighten the implementation of COVID testing to combat the spread of the virus.
Under the said laws, people identified as affected by the disease cannot refuse to cooperate with those concerned.
Mass testing is one of the identified effective measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. This includes contact tracing, isolation, and treatment.