Zamora orders disinfection, closure of prayer hall visited by COVID-19 patient

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora has ordered the immediate disinfection and temporary closure of a prayer room in Barangay Greenhills that was frequented by the fifth case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines.

"Una sa lahat, base nga dito sa press conference ni Secretary Duque kanina, lumalabas na meron tayong pasyente na positibo sa coronavirus na confined dito sa San Juan at mandalas niyang pinuntahan itong prayer room," Zamora said in an interview.

Zamora gave the order after the Department of Health (DOH) announced that one of the two new COVID-19 cases in the country was a frequent visitor of the prayer hall.

Duque described the patient as a 62-year-old Filipino male with no travel history abroad and has hypertension and diabetes.

"The patient sought medical consultation at a hospital in Metro Manila last March 1 and was admitted with severe pneumonia. Specimen collected on March 4 tested positive for COVID-19 on March 5," Duque said at a press briefing earlier in the day.

The other case was a 48-year-old Filipino male with a travel history from Japan.

Disinfect, sanitize

According to Zamora, he also asked the management of Greenhills Shopping Center to sanitize the entire establishment to prevent the spread of the virus.

"[K]aya ang aking direktiba ngayon ay [...] ay i-sanitize at i-disinfect ang prayer room na ito at ang buong shopping center din," Zamora said.

Meanwhile, contact tracing for individuals who may have come in contact with the patient is ongoing.

"The Department of Health (DOH) and the City Government of San Juan are now conducting contact tracing to determine whom this patient has been in contact with since he displayed symptoms," Zamora said in a statement.

Zamora also asked the public to follow countermeasures against the virus. "I encourage the public to stay calm, practice proper hand-washing using soap and water or alcohol, and excuse proper cough etiquette," he said.

"Finally, avoid going to crowded places keeping at least a one-meter distance from other people," he added. 

Meanwhile, the other case  was a 48-year-old Filipino male with a travel history from Japan.

Malacañang has assured the public that the government is prepared to respond to the threat of the COVID-19 amid recent confirmed cases. —Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK, GMA News