MANILA, Philippines — A Senate employee, who initially tested positive and and got hospitalized for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), passed away Thursday, Senate officials confirmed to reporters.
The employee worked as a staff member of the Senate’s Legislative Budget Service. He passed away nearly a month after he was found positive of the virus.
According to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the Senate staffer was confined in the hospital for two weeks.
“(G)umaling (sa COVID-19), then all of a sudden, died,” Sotto told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message.
Senate Secretary Atty. Myra Villarica, in a separate message to reporters, said the employee “seemed to be getting better until his oxygen saturation level dropped today.”
While the Senate staff member tested positive for the virus, it is not yet clear if the cause of death was COVID-19.
“He was a ‘critical (COVID-19) patient’ yun yata ang term na ginamit,” Villarica added.
At least a total of 20 Senate employees have so far tested positive for the new coronavirus.