Pres. Duterte notes ‘no local transmission of virus”; says there would soon be a solution to nCoV problem

Screenshot from live video of President Rodrigo’s press briefing on Monday night, Feb. 3, 2020 after presiding the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. (Photo grabbed from Malacanang video/Courtesy RTVM)

 

(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte stressed that there is no local transmission so far of the novel coronavirus in the country as the two positive cases so far were Chinese citizens who came from Wuhan City, the virus epicenter.

Isa lang ang namatay sa coronavirus. Imported naman. Hindi galing dito,” he said in a press briefing at past 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, 2020.

The President noted that the two deaths so far were Chinese nationals, and that the other fatality was due to HIV.

Duterte, speaking after overseeing the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said that he is also sure that there would soon a solution to this problem.

“There is always a solution to the problem. There will always be a solution. Do not be afraid of a pandemic here,” he told reporters in Malacanang.

“Tayo ang the most resilient. Palagay ko di aabot dito yan. Just like SARS. It has a lifetime, and it loses steam because people in time acquire immunity,” he said.

The President also said that there is no need to panic due to the virus.

“Even without a vaccine, it will die a natural death,” he said.

“Would it worsen in the meantime? Maybe. But keep faith with humanity … kasi noon, yung cancer was a death warrant, ngayon yung cancer wala na,” he said.

-Chinese citizens from planes not coming from China, HK, Macau can enter PHL, says Duterte-

Duterte also said that he has no intention of barring Chinese citizens coming from countries outside mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau

“If you will ask me if I will bar the Chinese from entering, the answer of course is no,” he said as he warned against xenophobia.

“They can come,” he said, “if di naman galing China yung eroplano, they can come in.”

-Separate area for large-scale quarantine, not needed for now-

When asked if there is a need to establish a separate area for the large-scale quarantine of people, he said that he sees no need for this at this time.

But if there is a situation that would arise where the number of confirmed infections would rise, Duterte said that he might just expropriate a building for quarantine purposes.

“Kunin ko yung building mo, whether you like it or not,” he said citing the law allowing this.

The President said that the suggestion for him to order all the Chinese citizens currently in the country to go back to China was “a case of bad taste.”

“Apparently, there is a lot of talk from the media, Facebook, even one saying that pauwiin ang mga Chinese,” he said.

“You know it’s not only a case of bad taste, but it is not good for us Filipinos to be saying that. There are so many thousands of Filipinos in China. And they cannot go out, because travel is prohibited to contain the propagation of the virus,” he said.

-Not afraid of dying-

When asked if he will take extra precautions because of his age now that there is a coronavirus scare, he said that this is not appropriate as he is the President of the country.

He said that he meets a lot of people and that courtesy dictates that he shake their hands and talk to them.

“Of course, I shake hands. I have to shake hands with people. Alam mo, Presidente ako. Hindi naman puede na (It’s not possible that Ijust)…” Duterte said his voice trailing as he made a motion of his hand just waving to make a point.

“You know when my time comes, you will know because I will go out of Malacanang in a funeral car,” he added.