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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 October) – Mayor Sara Duterte has tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the City Mayor’s Office revealed Saturday evening.
Her office said that Duterte, who is fully immunized against COVID-19 with the two-dose Sinopharm vaccine, has mild symptoms.
She is in isolation and caring for other family members who also need medical attention in Davao City, the statement said, without elaborating.
“The family requests for complete privacy at this time and respectfully urges the public to refrain from sending tokens for well wishes,” the statement appealed.
The individuals who have come in direct contact with the mayor in the last 14 days were told to self-monitor for symptoms and undergo the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing five to seven days after their contact with her.
The mayor’s siblings also contracted COVID-19 this year.
Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Z. Duterte tested positive last month while Sebastian “Baste” Duterte was infected in July.
The announcement that Mayor Duterte was positive for COVID-19 comes a day after the end of the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) for aspirants seeking national and local positions. Her supporters have been egging her to run in the presidential race.
Mayor Duterte, who is on her second term, filed her COC for reelection on October 3 at the Commission on Elections office here.
She was scheduled to fly to Singapore for a medical leave from October 5 to 8 but canceled the trip after her companion was tested positive for COVID-19. The mayor made the announcement in a radio interview on October 4. (Antonio L. Colina IV and Manman Dejeto / MindaNews)