MANILA, Philippines — The number of confirmed cases of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines has risen to 24.
President Rodrigo Duterte made the announcement after a meeting with health officials in Malacañang.
“Twenty-four in all as of last count,” Duterte said in a Monday night press conference in Malacañang.
Health officials reported four new coronavirus cases late Sunday night, pushing the Philippines’ total infection to 10.
But in a press briefing Monday afternoon, the number of confirmed cases in the country doubled to 20 as the Department of Health announced 10 more cases.
READ: DOH bares 10 more coronavirus cases; PH tally rises to 20
Duterte said the four new cases were reported in West Crame, San Juan City; Sta. Maria, Bulacan, and Project 6, Quezon City.
The DOH reported the country’s first case of local transmission of the coronavirus last Friday after a 62-year-old man from Cainta, Rizal without a recent overseas travel history, tested positive for it.
His wife was also infected by COVID-19.
Duterte has declared a state of public health emergency amid the increase in COVID-19 cases.
The declaration allows the government to declare price freezes for medicine and impose a mandatory quarantine.
/atm, gsg