Senator Risa Hontiveros Urges Public To Stop Spreading Unverified Information About Coronavirus
Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the Filipino people to stop spreading false or unverified information about coronavirus.
The statement of the lawmaker came after the Department of Health announced that they were currently investigating a suspected case of novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV. The case started after the arrival of a five-year-old Chinese boy in Cebu City last week.
The Chinese boy has been hospitalized and showed several signs of the virus such as flu symptoms. Eventually, the kid-tested positive for “non-specific pancoronavirus assay. Health personnel would send samples from the child to a laboratory in Australia for verification.
“Health authorities are still verifying if this is the same as the 2019-nCoV. In the meantime, I’d like to emphasize that sowing panic will be detrimental to public health,” Hontiveros said.
The 53-year-old politician cautioned the people to stop spreading unverified information and fake news on social media about the virus to avoid causing fear and panic to the public. The new coronavirus is similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
“We need correct information to get to the people. Kaya huwag tayong magpakalat ng fake,” the lawmaker added.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Education Department to put schools on alert and to take precautionary measures to protect the students from the mysterious disease.
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