MANILA – The Quezon City government has issued a closure order against a club as a new mpox case was recorded and traced it to the establishment.
In a news release Wednesday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city has now six recorded mpox cases.
All these, she said, have been traced to F Club.
“Hindi namin hahayaan na marami pang QCitizen ang malagay sa panganib (We will not allow many more QCitizens to be put in danger). Ensuring the safety and well-being of our QCitizens remains our primordial duty ,” the mayor said.
The Quezon City Health Department’s City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (CESD) said that the results of the newest mpox case were released on October 31.
The patient, a 31-year-old male, said he visited the F Club on October 5.
Belmonte reiterated the importance of compliance with the city’s health regulations, in relation to the recurring connection between F Club and the mpox cases.
In August, the QC Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) issued a cease and desist order (CDO) and notice of violation against F Club after it turned down the contact tracing team investigating the establishment, and for violating Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act.
However, despite the standing CDO, a new business application was submitted to the BPLD under a new business name.
Belmonte said that the application is currently on hold after the inspectors’ findings.
Before the latest mpox case was recorded, she said that the club resumed operation using the new business application.
“In the interest of public health, we are serving the closure order to F Club and this FINE Wellness bar and Spa. Kahit magpalit pa kayo ng business name, hindi namin kayo papayagang mag-operate hanggat hindi pa kayo compliant sa mga batas, ordinansa at regulasyon ng lungsod (Even if you change your business name, we will not allow you to operate until you are compliant with city laws, ordinances and regulations,” she said. (PNA)