DOH recommends declaration of State of Public Emergency over COVID-19

LEGAZPI CITY Mar 7 – The Department of Health (DOH) asks President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to declare State of Public Health Emergency over spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after  confirming the first case of local transmission of the virus in the Philippines.

In a press conference, Health Sec.Francisco Duque III also raises the COVID-19 alert system to Code Red Sub Level 1 to ensure readiness of all concerned agencies, Local Government Units (LGUs), and hospitals for any planned response for possible rise of new cases.

Duque also confirmed the 6^th case of COVID-19 in the Philippines – a 59 year old woman with cough and confined at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine on March 5. Duque said the patient is in stable condition as of press time. She is the wife of the 5^th COVID-19 case – a 62 year old man with no travel history before infected by the virus.(NMmdl)