Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (File photo)
MANILA – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that he is in isolation again after being exposed to four persons in his household who contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Lorenzana made this disclosure during the Cabinet meeting with President Rodrigo R. Duterte Tuesday night, which he attended virtually.
"Hindi po ako nakadalo diyan, Mayor, dahil na-expose ako sa positive na Covid case. Apat na tao sa bahay namin ang positive (I will not be able to attend (the meeting), Mayor, because I got exposed to Covid. Four people in my house were confirmed with Covid)," he added.
Last November 16, Lorenzana, who was fully vaccinated, tested positive for Covid-19 but was later cleared of the disease following another reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on November 19.
This was the second time for 2021 that the defense chief tested positive for Covid-19.
In April of the same year, Lorenzana went on quarantine to avoid infecting others in the Department of National Defense (DND) after being positive for the disease.
In 2020, the DND chief tested negative for Covid-19 in March and April after coming into close contact with people infected with the virus.
'Odette' relief efforts
In the same meeting, Lorenzana said around 7,493 soldiers are deployed in Regions 4B, 6, 7, 10, and 13 to help in relief efforts for "Odette". Also deployed are 769 land transport which includes 6x6 trucks, 28 aircraft including C-130 and C-295 transports, and helicopters, and 27 ships.
"Ang misyon po ng mga ito ay to support the transportation requirements of those who are making the relief operations. Kasama na rito ‘yung mga relief goods na galing sa NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), DOH (Department of Health), DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) personnel, at saka iba pa (Their mission is to support the transportation requirements of those making the relief operations. These include the relief goods coming from the NDRRMC, DSWD, DOH, DICT and their personnel)," he added.
As of Tuesday, Lorenzana said the Philippine Air Force aircraft has so far transported 461 individuals along with 300,000 kilograms of relief supplies. While Navy ships have transported 1,225 people and 3 million kilograms of supplies from Manila going to Cebu, Bacolod, Bohol, and Siargao, and Surigao.
"The Philippine Army was able to transport 12 truckloads of relief goods, transported to Surigao and nine truckloads of relief goods sent to Leyte," Lorenzana said (PNA)
