DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan
MANILA -- An official of the Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday said the department sees the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as a serious and urgent concern.
"We stand ready to contribute to the overall Philippine government efforts for the management of this public health situation and look to DOH for guidance on how we can best help. At this point, the situation is unfolding, and we do not want to contribute to any confusion, panic or false information," DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in a statement.
The Department of Health's (DOH) confirmed on Thursday a 38-year-old Chinese woman as the first 2019-nCov case in the Philippines.
Malaluan said Education Secretary Leonor Briones has been coordinating with schools and the DOH officials for the implementation of its guidelines particularly on any decision for any school lockdown in specific communities should a need arise.
He added that Briones requested Deped officials in the affected regions to cooperate with the DOH teams tracing individuals who were in contact with and may have been exposed to the confirmed patient during her visit.
"We direct the regions and schools to continue extending their fullest cooperation to DOH on the nCoV situation. On a general level, what the DepEd has at present are efforts to promote awareness and precautionary measures for schools and their immediate communities, using the information materials from DOH and our local units are also instructed to coordinate with their DOH counterparts," Malaluan said.
To discuss further actions, measures, and mechanisms for readiness and response, Malaluan said DepEd's executive committee will have a meeting and send observers to any meeting that the government Inter-agency Task Force.
"We have also expanded the coverage of the work of the Taal Quick Response and Recovery Team to include the nCoV matter," he said. (PNA)
