The Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) is discouraging the public from attending social gatherings or dining out with people not members of their own household.

The warning came after an administrative officer of a hospital in the city tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19.

According to the contact tracing report, the index attended several social gatherings before the symptoms of COVID-19 set in.

“Let’s discourage social gatherings and eating out with people outside one’s household,” said EOC contact tracing head, Dr. Rosalie Deocampo, during the EOC huddle yesterday.

Deocampo also reiterated that anyone showing COVID-19 symptoms must seek early consultation.

The Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient Center in front of the public plaza continues to offer free consultation and free swabbing for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, EOC executive director, City Administrator Em Ang, said that the city government strongly discourages holding of social gatherings with more than 10 attendees for at least in the next two weeks while cases are still high.

“It is important to avoid mixing people in one place at the same time because it is one key factor of spreading COVID-19 infection,” said EOC deputy medical Dr. Chris Sorongon.

There has been a spike of COVID-19 positive cases in Bacolod City recently. On March 17, the city recorded 25 new cases.

Yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 19 new cases in Bacolod City. Of the 19 new cases, 17 are local cases while the remaining two cases are authorized persons outside of residence./WDJ