Duterte is fit and healthy — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte remains fit and healthy, Malacañang assured the public Thursday, after Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, with whom he had close contact with, is now under self-quarantine.

"I would like to assure our countrymen that he’s fit and healthy," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told radio station dzMM. 

"He is not sick. He does not exhibit symptoms of any disease," he added.

Duterte had interacted with Duque during meetings of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). Duque has been isolating himself since March 18 and has undergone test for the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) because he had close contact with a health department director who tested positive for the disease.
 
Duterte, however, appeared to be unaffected by concerns about his health and went about his activities Thursday, including presiding over an IATF meeting in Malacañang Park.  

"We all observed  social distancing. In fact, our distance is more than arms' length. It's the same for the president, even two or three arms' length. All of us were covering our faces, mouths and noses," Panelo said.

Duterte recently tested negative for COVID-19. His partner Honeylet Avanceña and children Paolo, Sebastian, and Veronica also got tested for the disease.