OUTBREAK. The Christ the King Mission Seminary along E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City recently lost one of its priests to Covid-19. The Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit reported on Tuesday (Sept. 21, 2021) that of 25 positive cases, 13 remain active while 11 recovered. (Photo courtesy of CKMS Facebook)
MANILA – Eleven have recovered but one died among the 25 persons who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) inside the Christ the King Mission Seminary along E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue in Quezon City.
The seminary is run by the Society of the Divine Word, or more popularly known as SVD (Societas Verbi Divini).
The Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (QCESU) reported on Tuesday that only 13 cases remain active as of Sunday while one priest died.
CESU chief Dr. Rolando Cruz said of the 25 cases, nine are priests and 16 are employees.
The seminary has a current population of 59 individuals.
In late March this year, four SVD priests were also hospitalized after contracting Covid-19. Unfortunately, Rev. Fr. Valentino Darunday succumbed to the disease. He was 88.
The seminary’s Villa Cristo Rey and Fininman Building have been locked down since Sunday.
Three other religious facilities in QC also remained under Special Concern Lockdown -- Stella Maris Convent since Sept. 10, Religious of the Virgin Mary convent since Sept. 14 and the Convent of the Holy Spirit since Sept. 15.
The city government has sent medicines, vitamins, food packs and hygiene kits to the facilities.
The recent outbreaks prompted the city to issue ventilation guidelines on closed-setting facilities to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19.
“We will send these guidelines to building administrators in the city so they will learn how to better retrofit their facilities and make these more resistant to virus transmission,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement. (PNA)
