READ MORE: Infected traveler to face charges for skipping quarantine
“The hotel in question is currently being investigated and has been served a Notice to Explain (NTE), directing the establishment to submit its response to the allegations within three days,” DOT said Thursday.
COVID-19 infections have been steadily rising, averaging 400 daily cases since Christmas. OCTA Research also noted an alarming jump in the positivity rate in Metro Manila in the past week.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) — Government agencies are conducting an investigation into an alleged violation of quarantine protocol involving a Filipina who arrived from the United States. The investigation stemmed from a viral post claiming that the woman paid off a local hotel to prematurely break free from her isolation to go to a party.
The Department of Health on Thursday assured that they are looking into the reported incident and already locating the woman’s close contacts.
“All agencies involved are currently meeting and we will release information once complete,” Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, director of the Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion Bureau, told reporters. “Rest assured contact tracing has commenced.”
The media sought information from the DOH after a netizen posted on Wednesday claiming that a woman illegally left the facility she’s quarantined in to party and dine in Makati City.
The netizen claimed the woman paid a quarantine facility in an unidentified province to lie about the details of her isolation.
The DOH disclosed that it has received other similar reports and warned travelers from abroad who are violating government-set quarantine protocols.
“Now is not the time to relax and deliberately put others in danger,” the Health department said in a statement. “The entire nation worked so hard to keep our cases down… Violators shall be dealt with in accordance with the law,”
The DOH urged the public to be careful when attending gatherings, especially if such involve individuals who have recent travel history.
The Department of Tourism, meanwhile, said they are working with authorities to validate reports on the individual who allegedly left the quarantine facility earlier than what the duration had set.
