The local government of Quezon City on Sunday disclosed that Covid-19 cases in the city surged by more than 265 percent over the past three weeks, with young children accounting for nearly a third of the infections.

Local health data released Sunday showed that there were 146 cases as of 1 July, according to the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD).

Officials noted that confirmed cases jumped to 84 between 11 June and 1 July, compared to just 23 cases recorded between 21 May and 10 June.

Children aged 14 and under were the most affected demographic, making up nearly 30 percent of the cases. Adults aged 25 to 29 and senior citizens aged 60 and older followed, with each group accounting for about 16 percent of the total.

Data also showed a higher infection rate among females, who accounted for 66 cases compared to 41 cases among males. Healthcare workers made up nearly 4 percent of those infected.

Geographically, District 4 was the primary hotspot, accounting for nearly 33 percent of cases, followed by District 1 with about 22 percent.

Among the city's neighborhoods, Barangay Doña Imelda logged the highest concentration with 11 cases. Seven other neighborhoods recorded four cases each, including Culiat, Salvacion, Santa Teresita, Santo Cristo, Sauyo, Socorro and Tandang Sora.

Surveillance teams will continue to monitor the trends, city officials said.

Meantime, the Quezon City Health Department advised residents to follow standard preventive measures, including regular hand-washing, wearing masks when experiencing respiratory symptoms, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Health officials also urged residents with weakened immunity or active symptoms to stay home and consult their nearest health center immediately, noting that prompt evaluation is critical to preventing severe complications.