(UPDATED) Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto announced on Monday, March 15, 2021, that he has gone into quarantine because his driver had died from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
As of Monday noon, Sotto said he was still awaiting the result of his RT-PCR test on Sunday, March 14.
“Kasalukuyang ako ay naka-quarantine. Nag-Covid-19 test na ako kahapon bilang ako po ay isang close contact. Strictly susunod tayo sa protocols natin,” he said.
“Hindi muna ako makakapasok sa trabaho at kina-cancel ko muna ang appointment o meeting. Kung maaari ay i-Zoom, Viber, text, and phone call muna ang pagtatrabaho,” he said in a Facebook Live.
At past 5 p.m. Monday, he said in a Twitter post that his test result was negative. So was that of another person who was in the car with him and his driver.
Sotto said his driver, with whom he had close contact, died from Covid-19 on Friday, March 12.
Sotto said the last time he saw his driver was on Wednesday, March 10. He expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
“Nung nakaraang Biyernes ay nawalan tayo ng isang matalik na kaibigan dahil sa Covid-19, siya ‘yung driver ko kaya talagang close contact ako bagama’t sumusunod naman ako sa health protocols,” he added.
He urged the public, especially his constituents, to observe the minimum health protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) and avoid complacency.
“Sana ay nag-iingat po tayo ng husto at hindi tayo nagpapaka-kampante at sumusunod po tayo sa mga protocols natin,” said Sotto.
He said active cases in Pasig City exceeded 300 for the first since 2020.
“More than 400 cases na at makikita natin ang trend sa buong Metro Manila o NCR na tumataas nga ang bilang at isa sa dahilan siguro isa sa pinakamabigat na dahilan ay nandito na po sa bansa natin ‘yung variants,” he added.
The DOH has confirmed cases with the B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and P.1 variants. It also announced that the mutations detected in Central Visayas have been assigned to the new P.3 variant. (SunStar Philippines)