Nazarene feast in Philippines could turn into ‘superspreader’

A devotee holds a image of Black Nazarene while attending outside of the Quiapo Church in Manila. Only 6,000 people or 400 person per mass are allowed inside the church on the day of the Feast of the Black Nazarene to maintain the health protocols during COVID19 pandemic.- INQUIRER

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): Despite warnings to devotees by health authorities to steer clear of Quiapo Church in Manila on Saturday (Jan 9), the Feast of the Black Nazarene, to avert a widespread transmission of the new coronavirus, church officials are worried that many will still show up for the country’s largest religious event.

The Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against Covid-19 (HPAAC) said devotees flocking to the church could turn the event into a “superspreader,” where a single infected person infects many others on contact, leading to unusually large clusters of cases.