3 Cabinet members in isolation after close encounters with COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Three Cabinet members are in quarantine or isolation after being exposed to family members or staffers who tested positive for COVID-19.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and the country’s vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., reported on their condition on Tuesday when they attended via videoconference President Rodrigo Duterte’s meeting with Cabinet officials and medical experts.

Duque said he was in quarantine because he was exposed to one of his staff who tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday.

Asked by the president if he had a fever, Duque said he had no symptoms. The health secretary said he would undergo a test on Wednesday, and if the result was negative, he would complete his 10-day quarantine on Saturday.

“Don’t get sick because we will lose a general for our health issues,” Duterte told Duque.

Galvez, also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said he was twice exposed on Tuesday morning to several staffers who contracted the coronavirus. He added that 15 employees in his office had tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day.

Lorenzana, the task force chair, said he was unable to attend the meeting in Malacañang in person because he was also exposed to a COVID-19 case. He reported that four persons in his household had tested positive.