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Speaker's Office employees positive for COVID-19; House cases at 39


The House of Representatives reported its 38th and 39th cases of COVID-19 after two employees assigned to the office of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano tested positive.

According to House Secretary-General Jose Luis Montales' Sunday statement, the first employee last reported for work on July 28, the day after the House opened its Second Regular Session.

"He went home about three hours later after experiencing fever, body malaise, and decreased sense of smell," Montales said.

"He’s now afebrile and has fully recovered his sense of smell. But he has s mild cough. He is on home quarantine," he added.

Montales said contact tracing was continuing with regards to this new case of COVID-19 in the House.

Meanwhile, the second employee last went to the Batasang Pambansa complex in March. He took a COVID-19 test after experiencing fever, body malaise, and decreased sense of smell, Montales said.

The said employee is now in a stable condition, he added.

Apart from House employees, some lawmakers have also contracted the disease.

On the day of President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address, Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, which prevented him from attending the event.

Sulu Representative Samier Tan, Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman and his wife, Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia "Dadah" Turabin-Hataman were also reported to have tested positive for the disease.

Three of the 33 cases of COVID-19 in the House have died.

As of August 9, a total of 129,913 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Philippines, with 2,270  deaths and 67,673 recoveries. — DVM, GMA News

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