Liquor ban re-imposed as Covid-19 cases surge

A SURGE in cases in the wake of a tourism launch pushed a hard lockdown and a liquor ban.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced a temporary liquor ban effective September 21, affirming clustering cases at the Slaughterhouse area is due to uncontrolled drinking sprees.

"It seems that we never learned from our past experience on the dangers posed by overindulging in alcohol. When we indulge, we do not anymore care about the health protocols so things lead to serious consequences like this clustering of cases that we now have in that area," Magalong said.

The area is occupied by city abattoir workers, which alarmed the mayor as he imposed for the third time the liquor ban since the community quarantines.

The city mayor's office is currently preparing the executive order on the prohibition on liquor consumption and sale.

Magalong also ordered the intensification of all coronavirus disease (Covid-19) control systems to contend with the expected surge in cases as a result of aggressive contact tracing and expanded testing activities.

On Sunday, 43 new patients were reported, 33 of whom are contacts of current cases (CT), eight symptomatic (S), two from expanded testing (ET).

A hard lockdown in certain puroks in Sto. Niño Barangay and the lagoon area at Lourdes Ext. to coordinate cleansing, disinfection and tracking down of contacts, alongside a review of the processes and systems being implemented in the abattoir is also being considered to identify and correct the gaps in health protocols.

"I already ordered the hard lockdown of Slaughter and lagoon area this morning for 14 days. OCSWD (Office of the City Social Welfare and Development) will be providing food to around 50 families. The barangays have been duly informed and are enthusiastically cooperating," the mayor said.

More teams were deployed to address the increase in cases by implementing contact tracing, disinfection, isolation, quarantine, testing and medical interventions especially in the coming days when results of the expanded testing conducted September 17 and 19 are expected to be known. (With a report from Baguio City Public Information Office)

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