(Eagle News) — Ninety-eight people in the House of Representatives have tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement on Tuesday, Dec. 1, Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza said the number represents nearly 5 percent of the 2000 House congressmen and employees who underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing since November 10.
Mendoza said the mass testing was the first done in the House since a pandemic was declared in March.
It was unclear how many of the 98 were congressmen, and how many were staff members.
He said almost all cases were asymptomatic.
“Because it was mass testing for all officials, employees and guests entering the Batasan Complex, we caught even the asymptomatic cases who could be transmitters if we didn’t find out they were COVID positive,” Mendoza said.
All those who tested positive were directed to self-isolate and were advised to coordinate with the Quezon City local government for a “more extensive” contact tracing.
Prior to November 10, the House registered more than 80 COVID-19 cases since March, he said.
He said almost all of them have recovered, except for three employees who succumbed to the disease.
Sorsogon Rep. Bernardita Ramos and Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Francisco Dato also died after contracting COVID-19 this year.
