Actress Iza Calzado and the chief of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are among the new people found positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Three days after Calzado posted on Instagram that she is confined in a hospital for pneumonia, her manager Noel Ferrer announced on Saturday afternoon that the 37-year-old actress tested positive for Covid-19. “Dear Family and Friends. Iza Calzado received her results yesterday that she tested positive for Covid,” Ferrer said on Facebook.
Calzado first told the public of her condition by posting on Instagram a selfie from a hospital bed, wearing an oxygen mask. She said she had taken the test for the coronavirus and had been waiting for the results “for several days.”
Ferrer said Calzado was thankful to be recovering. She can already breathe without oxygen assistance since she had been “aggressively treated” for pneumonia.
“She will be tested again to see if she is already negative. Her husband Ben (Wintle) and others who interacted with her have not shown any symptoms,” the manager said. He added that the actress did not know where she contracted the virus.
Ferrer reminded the public to follow doctors and health authorities on hand washing, proper hygiene, physical distancing and quarantine.
“Thank you to the frontliners who continue to risk their lives to attend to our citizens like Iza. Let us continue to pray for the healing of Iza and our brothers and sisters who are most affected by this pandemic. God bless us all! #PrayingForIza #LabanIza,” he said.
MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia also sent a text to reporters saying, “I wish to inform everyone that I will have to work from home as I have been found positive for Covid-19.”
He added that he was not experiencing any symptoms. “My work puts me under a lot of risk, and this is part of it. I embrace this challenge with full trust and faith in God that I will overcome the same with your prayers,” Garcia said.
Garcia is the latest government official who contracted the disease. Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino Martin “Koko” Pimentel 3rd and Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Felimon Santos Jr also tested positive.
The MMDA chief placed himself under quarantine on Monday after being exposed to a confirmed Covid-19 patient in a meeting last week.
MMDA spokesman Celine Pialago also placed herself under quarantine after she was exposed to the same patient.
Meanwhile, in a text message, MMDA EDSA traffic chief Edison “Bong” Nebrija said he would undergo self-quarantine after being exposed to Garcia.
Actress Iza Calzado wears an oxygen mask while confined to the hospital.
