Palace amid coronavirus threat: Remain calm, be a ‘voice of sobriety’

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo. Philippine Daily Inquirer file photo / JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Saturday urged the public to remain calm, and be the “voice of sobriety” amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.

“We call on everyone to be the voice of calm and sobriety,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“The DOH, which has been following established international protocols, continues to monitor persons under investigation. Teams have been formed to do contact tracing,” Panelo said.

“The Health Department, along with other agencies of the government, likewise provides our people with the latest updates relative to the impact of this global health scare,” he said.

He also asked the public to avoid sharing  “unverified and unofficial information” that may only cause undue panic among the population, as well as be “scrupulous” in reading materials that may help them be informed of COVID-19.

The DOH has reported that two foreign nationals, who had a history of visiting the Philippines, tested positive for the virus. However, the department clarified that they may have contracted COVID-19 outside of the country.

The DOH is also confirming the case of an Australian woman who tested positive for COVID-19, who visited the country from Feb. 13 to March 3.

Meanwhile, the DOH confirmed that the cases of COVID-19 in the country rose to five.

One of them, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is already considered a local transmission since the patient had no record of recent travel.

“At the very outset of the surge of news reports concerning COVID-19, the President has categorically mandated relevant instrumentalities of the government to be absolutely transparent to the Filipino people as regards this health issue, aware that we have the right to be informed of the conditions surrounding us,” Panelo said.

“The Office of the President finally wishes to remind the people to practice protective measures to guard themselves against COVID-19, such as frequent and proper hand-washing, observing proper cough etiquette and maintaining distance from individuals experiencing respiratory symptoms, among others,” he added.

“By performing these safeguards, we likewise do our share in our community’s fight against this disease.”