A worker uses a misting cannon to disinfect a school in San Juan City, the Philippines on March 9, 2020. The Philippines reported Monday 10 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 20. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
MANILA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines reported Monday 10 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 20.
Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said all test results from the new cases were released around noontime on Monday, after samples were collected on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (March 6, 7, and 8).
She said the Epidemiology Bureau of Department of Health is currently conducting comprehensive contact tracing activities for the additional cases.
"DOH is also currently in coordination with concerned local government units and Centers for Health Development for localized response and implementation of infection prevention and control measures," Vergeire said in a news conference.
The DOH will give more details of the new cases later in the day.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to give a news conference later in the day to present his administration's response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
Duterte declared earlier on Monday a state public health emergency after the DOH confirmed the local COVID-19 transmission in the country.
On Saturday, the DOH raised the COVID-19 alert system to code red sublevel 1 and recommended that Duterte declare a state of public health emergency.
