Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed that he tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“I ask for your indulgence pero kailangan niyo mag-quarantine, dun sa mga nagkaroon ng close contact sa akin,” Roque said in a media briefing.
Roque said he is in isolation after he received his test results that showed he was positive for the virus.
The presidential spokesperson who had been travelling to places in recent months said that he was negative for the virus when visited Ilocos last week.
Despite the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, Roque defended his remarks that the country is doing ‘excellent’ in handling the pandemic.
“Merong lumabas na report na qinu-quote ang sinasabi kong excellent tayo sa handling [ng pandemic]. Excellent naman tayo until this March, kung saan sumipa ang mga kaso,” Roque said.
“Ito ba’y dahil nagpapabaya ang taumbayan? Palagay ko naman hindi, sumusunod naman talaga tayo sa minimum health protocols,” he added.
The Philippines now has 621,498 confirmed COVID-19 cases after the Department of Health reported 4,899 additional cases on Sunday, March 14.
This marks the third day that the DOH reported more than 4,000 cases daily.
