4 congressmen undergo self-quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — Four members of the House of Representatives are observing self-quarantine amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Those who have confirmed they are under self-quarantine are:

-Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab

-Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda

-Valenzuela City 2nd District Rep. Eric Martinez

-Navotas City Rep. John Reynald Tiangco

Among the congressmen, Ungab was the first to confirm his decision to place himself under quarantine after attending a Senate hearing on Wednesday where he interacted with Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

Gatchalian on Wednesday night said he would undergo a 14-day quarantine after a resource person in the Senate tested positive for the disease.

“I was at the Senate with Mayor Sara [Duterte-Carpio] and I interacted as well with Senator Win Gatchalian. Although he looks very healthy and asymptomatic, the most responsible thing to do is to subject myself to home quarantine and make sure that I won’t be spreading the virus,” Ungab said in a text message.

Meanwhile, Baronda said she met with Department of Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado on Monday regarding projects for Iloilo City.

As Vice Chairperson of the House committee on transportation, Baronda said she also helped facilitate the interface of House legislators with Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Tuesday.

Both Avisado and Tugade are on self-quarantine over possible exposure to the virus after attending separate events.

“Being a responsible leader and mother, I am subjecting myself to home quarantine even if I do not have any symptom of COVID-19 as a standard precautionary measure advised by health authorities,” Baronda said in a statement.

In the case of Martinez, he confirmed to INQUIRER.net that despite not having any symptoms, he has decided to place himself under quarantine since he was also present in the same event that Tugade attended.

Tugade on Thursday said he came into contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 during toll road inspection event last March 5.

“I was informed this morning that there was a guest there that tested positive [for COVID-19] so as a part of protocol, I did self-quarantine,” Martinez said in a text message.

Also present in the toll road inspection event was Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco who is also now under quarantine.

The city mayor said his brother John Reynald, who serves as congressman, is also under quarantine.

House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales announced that Batasang Pambansa Complex will undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection from March 13 until March 15 as a part of the lower chamber’s response against COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the incubation period, which is the time between exposure to infection and appearance of the symptoms, ranges from one to 12.5 days. Some cases, however, could reach up to 14 days.

Thus, those with possible exposure to the virus are advised to place themselves under quarantine for 14 days.

Currently, there are 52 cases of COVID-19 in the country.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

Coronavirus is a family of viruses, whose surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.