Four Senate staff members test positive for COVID-19

Four other Senate employees have tested positive for COVID-19, Senator Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Thursday.

Zubiri said the four COVID-19 patients are all staff members of senators.

“These are new cases, last week lang po,” Zubiri said in a virtual forum.

“They are all working in the Senate as [part of] skeleton force. Mukhang di pa na-fully sanitized the building. Medyo delikado pa,” he added.

In a sstatement, Senate Secretary Myra Villarica said the four patients are now under quarantine and that the offices where they are a part of had been put on lockdown from July 6 to 9.

Prior to the four, at least 18 Senate employees were tested positive for COVID-19.

As for senators, Zubiri, Sonny Angara and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III were also infected with COVID-19 but have since recovered.

Given the situation, Zubiri said the Senate should remain closed.

“Lalo lumalala ang cases ngayon, I’m really afraid, my humble suggestion is huwag muna tayo magbukas, skeleton force muna, huwag muna magpapasok ng taga labas,” he said.

“Napakadelikado nito. Nakakatakot. Buti sana kung tulad ng nangyari sa akin mild lang. You'll never know. Parang 50-50 chance na mabubuhay ka o mamatay ka. Everything is not okay,” Zubiri added.

The Philippines has recorded 50,359 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 12,588 have recovered while 1,314 died. --KBK, GMA News