MANILA, Philippines — Several Cabinet members, lawmakers and local executives have placed themselves under self-quarantine after exposure to individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay on Wednesday night said they would undergo a 14-day quarantine after a resource person in the Senate tested positive for the virus. ADVERTISEMENTThereafter, other government officials also announced that they, too, would place themselves under isolation after citing instances of possible exposure to infected persons. On Wednesday night, a 67-year-old woman passed away, the first Filipino national to die due to the virus. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 12, 2020 03:00 UTC