Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte speaks during the inauguration of the Quezon City Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory located in Barangay Teachers Village East. (FILE) photo from QC-PAISD
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte tested positive for coronavirus again, she announced on Monday.
In a post on the Facebook page of Quezon City local government, Belmonte said that this second infection comes eight months after recovering from COVID-19.
The local executive said that she is experiencing mild symptoms as of now.
“Eight months after my first bout with COVID-19, I am very sad to report that I have once again tested positive for the virus. As many doctors have continued to remind us, COVID-19 is an ongoing and evolving pandemic, and we should not let our guard down under any circumstances,” Belmonte said.
“Indeed, even after recovering from the virus last year and carefully observing all the recommended precautions, my positive result is a sober reminder that there is no room for complacency when it comes to this disease,” she added.
According to Belmonte, the Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU) is doing contact tracing of her recent close contacts who could be infected with the virus also.
She also said that she would continue working while she is under quarantine.
“Needless to say, I will abide by all the recommended protocols and actions prescribed by the DOH, IATF, and our own [CESU]. Our CESU is likewise hard at work doing full contact-tracing procedures on individuals that I may have had close contact with,” Belmonte said.
“Thankfully, I am only feeling very mild symptoms at the moment, and I shall continue to perform all my executive functions and duties while I am quarantined at the Hope Community Care Facility in Quezon City,” she added.
Belmonte first tested positive for the virus last July 8, as the country experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases after the gradual reopening of the economy.