Despite testing positive for COVID-19, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is doing fine and continues to work in isolation at his home, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Sunday.
Angeles said the President was visited Saturday afternoon by his lead physician, Dr. Samuel Zacate, who noted that the chief executive has improved, showing only mild symptoms and no fever, loss of taste, or smell.
Zacate’s physical examination showed that the President’s throat was clear of any inflammation and there was “no sign of respiratory distress or pneumonia.”
Also on Sunday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla confirmed that he also tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Thursday.
Remulla said he was experiencing very mild symptoms of COVID-19.
Following health protocols, the Justice secretary said he has placed himself under a seven-day quarantine.
A member of his staff said Remulla was working from home.
The President tested positive for COVID-19 in an antigen test Friday, July 8.
At the time, he had a mild fever, nasal stuffiness, nasal itchiness, and a mild occasional non-productive cough.
An RT-PCR test was subsequently done, confirming that he was positive for COVID-19.
This is the second time that Marcos tested positive for COVID-19.
The first was during the height of the pandemic in 2020 when hundreds of thousands of Filipinos contracted the virus.
“The President was advised to undergo home isolation for seven days in compliance with the Department of Health protocol for fully-vaccinated individuals,” Angeles said.
Angeles said home medications for the President were being continued and he is under close monitoring by Zacate until the completion of his home isolation.
During his virtual message to mayors and governors on Friday when he started his isolation, the President emphasized the importance of a booster campaign rollout to safely resume face-to-face classes and fully reopen the economy.
“So let us return to the idea of what we did last year and have a vaccine rollout,” Marcos said in a mix of English and Filipino. “We will do this so we can be sure. And if the booster rollout is successful, you will see that we can lower the alert levels, and we can make masks optional.”
The President said he was convinced that if the massive vaccination drive becomes successful, the government could allow children to return to full face-to-face classes and fully open the economy.
He said he wants local government units to conduct large-scale immunization drives for booster shots targeting school children so they can safely go back to school either in August or September this year.
Before testing positive, Marcos held his first Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, July 5. Remulla was present during the meeting.
Last week, the President also led the mass oath-taking of newly appointed officials; held a meeting with officials from the Department of Energy (DOE); and met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Malacañang.