CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 14 October) — Mayor Oscar Moreno thumbed down a proposed ordinance that sought to reopen spas, staycations and other indoor tourist attractions, as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases extended the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions for the city until October 31.
Moreno vetoed Resolution 2021-205 hours before the National IATF set the new quarantine levels across the country.
The resolution, passed last week by the City Council, sought to reopen internet cafes, sports centers, gymnasiums, massage parlors or spas, indoor facilities and entertainment establishments, white rafting and other tourism-related activities.
These establishments have been reeling from heavy financial losses ever since the imposition of quarantine measures in March 2020.
Moreno, however, said reopening these businesses should proceed with caution despite the decrease in coronavirus infections in the city in the past two weeks.
The City Health Office registered a single case of COVID-19 infection on October 11, the lowest since the outbreak of triple-digit infections last September.
“We must proceed with caution,” Moreno said in explaining why he vetoed the ordinance during his daily press briefing Wednesday.
Still, the proposed ordinance was considered “null” with the extension of the GCQ with heightened restrictions until October 31.
The quarantine status covers Cagayan de Oro and the adjoining province of Misamis Oriental.
Under the guidelines, indoor sports courts and venues, indoor tourist attractions and tourism-oriented activities like staycations are not allowed.
To make matters worse, CHO’s Dr. Ted Yu announced during last Wednesday’s briefing that nine new cases of the Delta variant were detected in Barangays Tignapoloan, Camaman-an, Balulang, Bulua, Consolacion and Bonbon.
Yu said the new cases were detected from the specimens collected from September 1 to 3.
“Seven are women and the two are males,” Yu said adding the patients and their close contacts have been placed in the isolation units.
Yu said the new cases brought the number of Delta variant cases in Cagayan de Oro to 91 but 81 have fully recovered while eight have died.
He said two Delta variant cases are still under observation in a city isolation unit. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)
Proposal to reopen tourist attractions, other businesses in CDO nixed
Source: Viral News Filipino
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