New House employee tests positive for COVID-19

This file photo shows the House of Representatives.
The STAR/Boy Santos, File

MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 3:19 p.m.) — A House of Representatives official on Tuesday confirmed that another employee at the legislative chamber tested positive for COVID-19.

“We were advised that another employee from our Printing Service tested positive for COVID-19. He last reported for work on March 5. He went on leave on March 6, and was admitted to the hospital on March 7,” House Secretary-General lawyer Jose Luis Montales said in a Tuesday message posted on social media.

“The diagnosis was dengue. The doctors later tested him for COVID-19 on March 12 and 14, and the results just came out today.”

This came days after the announcement of a 41-year-old House employee's passing.

The said COVID-19 mortality worked at the same office as the newly reported case.

RELATED: House employee, Negros councilor die of COVID

The House began sanitizing and disinfecting its 11 buildings in the Batasan Complex based in Quezon City on March 13 to 15.

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Work has also been suspended in the chamber between March 16 and April 12.

New work arrangements were announced last Friday, including a rotational skeletal workforce for the duration of the suspension and option to work from home. However, all employees are required to to be on-call and consequently able to report to the office for their official duties.

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