MANILA, Philippines — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino has tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday with mild symptoms.
The AFP chief has gone into an approved isolation facility at Camp Aguinaldo, the military’s main headquarters, where he will continue to perform his duties while in quarantine, AFP spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala said Friday.
“He remains in full command of the AFP, supervising all units in carrying out their assigned tasks through all allowed and available means,” he said.
Centino, 54, is fully vaccinated and boosted. His close contacts are now in quarantine.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is also under quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19 positive individuals in his household.
The Philippines on Thursday reported 17,220 new COVID-19 cases, the most in over three months and a new record high 36.9 percent positivity rate amid the suspected local transmission of Omicron, a highly contagious coronavirus variant. Analysts said the peak was still to come in the Philippines.