The Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (QCESU) recently reported an outbreak in Christ the King Mission Seminary, where almost half of its population were infected.

According to QCESU Chief Dr. Rolando Cruz, the facility has a population of 59 individuals. Of these, 34 tested negative while 25 were positive.

The positive cases were composed of nine priests and 16 employees. 

As of September 18, 11 of these positive cases have recovered, 13 remain active, and one has succumbed to COVID.

The casualty was reported to have been a priest who was one of two index cases that were recorded on September 3.

Cruz added that only the seminary’s Villa Cristo Rey and Fininman Building were placed under Special Concern Lockdown (SCL) since September 18.

This brings the total number of religious facilities under lockdown to four. The other three are the following: Stella Maris Convent (since September 10), Religious of the Virgin Mary (September 14), and Convent of the Holy Spirit (September 15).

Meanwhile, the Quezon City government has started creating a set of guidelines on ventilation for buildings and workplaces to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. 

Mayor Joy Belmonte said that this joint undertaking by the Department of the Building Official, City Architect, and the City Engineering Department is the local government’s latest effort to prevent COVID outbreaks especially in closed-settings iand long-term care facilities. 

“We will send these guidelines to building administrators in the city so they will learn how to better retrofit their facilities and make these more resistant to virus transmission,” she said. 

The Office of the City Mayor also attended to the needs of the facility’s residents by sending paracetamol, vitamins, hygiene kits, face masks, alcohol, soap, rice, and food packs among others.

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