DA execs test positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — At least two ranking officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) have tested positive for COVID-19, amid a surge in cases and the threat of new FLiRT variants.

Sources from the DA said that Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa manifested symptoms of COVID-19, including headache, loss of taste and fever after one of his staff tested positive for the virus.

De Mesa tested positive on Wednesday after undergoing an antigen test. He was advised to undergo a 10-day home quarantine.

Prior to this, one of De Mesa’s staff reported that she tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. The staff reportedly traveled to Cebu and manifested symptoms of the virus.

The DA management has ordered contact tracing to identify the employees and other individuals who came into contact with De Mesa and his staff.

The DA has also ordered a disinfection of De Mesa’s office where the press office is also located.

The other DA official who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday was Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Operations U-Nichols Manalo.

The Department of Health said cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines remain mild and manageable amid the likely emergence in the country of Omicron subvariants like KP.2 and KP.3.

Omicron subvariants KP.2 and KP.3 are part of the FLiRT variant, a novel virus that is spreading globally.

They came from the JN.1 subvariant that was reported in late 2023 and responsible for this year’s earlier increase in infections.