House COVID-19 cases now at 80 — SecGen

The number of COVID-19 cases at the House of Representatives has climbed to 80, of which 14 are active, after another employee from the office of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano tested positive for the disease.

House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales confirmed the development in a statement shared with reporters on Thursday.

According to him, the employee reported for work from September 14 to 18, and underwent testing after experiencing body weakness, headache, colds, and loss of smell and taste.

Contact tracing is ongoing with regards to this new case, he added.

Montales reminded members of the House community to take extra precautions in order to prevent the further transmission of the disease.

He said employees should only report to work physically only if there is an absolute necessity.

Those who are experiencing or have experienced any COVID-19 symptom within the last 14 days should no longer report from work, he added. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News