Slow response? Andanar says Duterte’s meeting on 2019-nCoV ‘not late, very timely’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacanang on Monday brushed aside criticisms about what was seen as a slow response to the onset of the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the country.

In a press briefing, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said President Rodrigo Duterte’s meeting set for Monday afternoon regarding the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is “not late,” but “very timely,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.

“It’s not late. Very timely ang desisyon ng gobyerno (The government’s decision is very timely),” Andanar said.

Addressing claims Duterte’s meeting was already long-overdue, Andanar said the the government is following recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH).

“We follow also the directives and also the recommendation from the WHO, the Department of Health,” Andanar said, adding that the meeting with health officials and select government officials is timely since it follows the first recorded death outside China.

“Ang desisyon naman ng gobyerno is very methodical. At yung meeting mamaya ay nataunan din na timely dahil nung weekend namatay yng pasyente na galing China and unfortunately the first death outside China,” he said.

(The government’s decision is very methodical. The meeting later is also timely since over the weekend, the patient from China passed away and is unfortunately the first death outside China.)

At least 362 individuals have already died due to the novel coronavirus while over 17,000 have been infected globally.

READ: #OustDuterte trends as gov’t belies ‘relaxed’ approach to nCoV scare

Edited by EDV