Last updated on May 7th, 2021 at 06:54 am
President Rodrigo Duterte will be screened for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after several members of the Cabinet have confirmed they will be undergoing self-quarantine due to contact with infected citizens.
This was reported by Duterte’s former aide and now by Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
Go explained in a statement that they must undergo COVID-19 training to make sure they’re “fit and safe” to serve the public and fulfill their duties.
Separately on Wednesday night, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade announced they would undergo self-quarantine after engaging with coronavirus-positive individuals.
The presidential security group has announced that Malacañang will be closed temporarily for disinfection on Thursday.
To date, the Philippines has had 49 confirmed cases of COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in late 2019 in China’s Wuhan city in Hubei province.
In most people, the virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough but may cause severe illness in others such as pneumonia, particularly older adults and people with established health problems.
In a meeting in Malacañang, Go said Duterte also directed the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Police of the Philippines, and the National Investigation Bureau to track the price of face masks and alcohol and to prevent the hoarding of that.
