MANILA – Seven people who were supposed to attend the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday afternoon have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that six personnel from Malacañang, some of them are from the technical team assigned to the event, were swabbed and tested positive for the virus.
Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, in a separate statement, also said he has contracted the disease based on the result of swab testing done on him on Sunday morning.
“Yes, I had my swab test yesterday 8 a.m. in Congress as requirement for #SONA2020. At 11:30 p.m., Dr. Dizon of Congress called me and told me I’m positive, later on he sent thru my email the result also,” Pimentel said.
Everyone attending Duterte’s SONA, including 50 lawmakers, their staff, Cabinet members, and other personnel, had to undergo testing over the weekend before they are allowed to enter the plenary hall of the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
8 LSIs IN RIZAL STADIUM POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
Meanwhile, at least eight locally-stranded individuals (LSIs) who availed of the government’s “Hatid Tulong” program over the weekend have tested positive for COVID-19 via rapid tests, Presidential Management Staff Assistant Secretary Joseph Encabo said.
Encabo said that the eight people have been isolated while contract tracing was being done on those who came in contact with the patients inside the crammed Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Thousands of LSIs, mostly from the Visayas and Mindanao, were gathered in the stadium over the weekend to avail of the government-initiated “Hatid Tulong” program.
They were placed inside the stadium — where rules on the wearing of masks and physical distancing were not observed — while awaiting transportation back to their hometowns./PN