Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III has tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019.
In a statement, the DOLE said Bello, who is fully vaccinated, is asymptomatic and undergoing quarantine in his hometown in Ilagan, Isabela where the test was made Saturday.
“Even while in isolation, the Secretary continues to discharge his functions. Prior to contracting the virus, he had been receiving officials and guests at his office, and traveled to various parts of the country distributing assistance to displaced and disadvantaged formal and informal sector workers affected by the pandemic,” the statement read.
Bello thanked the people for the prayers as he assured to continue working as soon as he completed the quarantine period.
“The Secretary wishes to thank the public for their prayers, and expresses hopes to resume leading DOLE officials in the distribution of assistance funds under its Serbisyong Tupad as soon as his quarantine period is over,” it said.
Meanwhile, an additional 10,858 patients have beaten the Covid-19, pushing the country’s overall recovery count to 1,629,426, as of yesterday.
In its latest case bulletin, the Department of Health said those who have beaten the illness account for 92.3 percent of the Philippines’ total case tally of 1,765,675 since the pandemic started last year.
The agency also reported 10,035 new confirmed cases and 96 new deaths.
These figures bring the overall tally of active cases to 105,787 and the death toll to 30,462.
The latest figures showed 96.1 percent of the active cases are mild, 0.9 percent are asymptomatic, 1.3 percent are severe, 0.90 percent are moderate, and 0.7 percent are in critical condition.*PNA
