Senate to hold hearing on Philippines’ nCoV response next week

The Senate is set to hear Tuesday next week the government response to the 2019 novel coronavirus, Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go said Friday.

Go, Senate health committee chairman, said he will invite representatives from all concerned agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Transportation, and airport officials.

“Ipapatawag lahat ng officials na involved dito. Airport officials, si Sec (Arthur) Tugade,
Sec (Francisco) Duque, (Bureau of) Immigration dahil sila namamahala ng quarantine all over the country,” he said in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV.

“Ang Department of Foreign Affairs ipapatawag natin dahil sila ang magi-implement ng travel ban, sila ang magko-communicate niyan sa ibang bansa,” he added.

He said medical experts and infectious disease doctors who have any idea how to fight nCoV are also welcome to attend.

Go also invited the critics of the government.

“Kasama na rin ‘yung netizens na bumabatikos, pwedeng sumama na rin kayo dun kesa batikusin n’yo e humarap kayo sa camera, dun n’yo batikusin ‘yung mga opisyal natin.
Welcome po kayo,” he said.

On Thursday, Health Secretary Duque confirmed the first case of nCoV in the Philippines—a 38-year-old woman from Wuhan, China who arrived in the country on January 21 via Hong Kong.

The patient is now at San Lazaro Hospital.

Because of this, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Friday a ban on visitors from Hubei province in China.

Health spokesperson Eric Domingo said there are now 31 suspected cases of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines. 

"We have now 31 persons under investigation, including one of them which turned out to be the positive and verified case," he added. —NB, GMA News