Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte would be tested for COIVD-19, an official said yesterday, as several government buildings were being disinfected over an exposure scare.
The Philippines this week has seen a jump in cases, including people who recently attended events with senators and government officials, potentially exposing them.
The Senate building, the Department of Finance, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Asian Development Bank closed yesterday for disinfecting, and several officials announced that they would quarantine themselves as a precaution after meeting with an infected person.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Duterte, who at 74 is in a vulnerable age group for the virus, would be tested because he has been in regular contact with some of those officials.
“It is just prudent for us to take precautionary measures in compliance with the advice of our health officials,” said Philippine Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, a Duterte ally who said he would also be tested.
Philippine Secretary of Finance Sonny Dominguez, Secretary of Transportation Arthur Tugade and Bangko Sentral Governor Benjamin Diokno were three of the officials going into quarantine.
The Philippines has a relatively small number of confirmed cases, but its tally has risen from 24 to 49 since Monday, with two deaths.
The central bank said that open-market and settlement operations, as well as servicing of banks’ cash withdrawals, would continue as usual.
“No off-cycle meeting is contemplated,” Diokno said in a cellphone message.
He said he plans to participate remotely at the bank’s rate-setting meeting on Thursday next week, saying: “We have the technology.”
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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