DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año tested positive for the novel coronavirus although he was asymptomatic, he confirmed on Tuesday, March 31.

He said he underwent testing on March 27. The samples were processed by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

“Today, March 31, I received the result from RITM informing me that I am positive for Covid-19,” he said in a message to reporters.

“I make this announcement to call the attention of all persons I had close contact with to go on self quarantine and observe any symptoms in accordance with the DOH (Department of Health) guidelines,” he added.

Año has been on home quarantine since Wednesday, March 25, four days after a meeting at the Malacañang.

He said he has not manifested any symptom of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, or Sars-CoV-2.

He said he will continue with his home quarantine for 14 days.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, colds and breathing difficulty.

Two senators earlier tested positive for the novel coronavirus. A congressman who initially tested positive has been cleared by the RITM, which said there was a clerical error in the congressman’s test results. (SunStar Philippines)