MANILA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Lorenzana said in a statement that he would isolate, "following quarantine guidelines to avoid infecting others."
Lorenzana heads the national task force that implements the government's strategy to defeat COVID-19.
Last month, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar and presidential spokesperson Harry Roque also contracted the virus.
The Southeast Asian country continues to battle a surge in COVID-19 infections, with a total of 812,760 confirmed cases since the outbreak began in January last year, including 13,817 deaths. Enditem