President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malaca帽ang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malaca帽ang Park, Manila on November 17, 2020. ALFRED FRIAS/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with experts and officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Saturday to discuss the new coronavirus strain which is believed to be more infectious.
鈥淏iglaan (nag)patawag ng meeting with IATF and infectious disease experts tomorrow si (President Duterte) to discuss (the) new strain,鈥� Senator Bong Go, Duterte鈥檚 former long-time aide, told reporters in a text message.
鈥淰ery much concerned kami ni Pangulo,鈥� he added.
Go said the meeting will be held in Malaca帽ang.
鈥淐ut short muna namin Christmas break,鈥� the senator said, noting that the president is currently in his hometown Davao City to celebrate Christmas with his family.
The new coronavirus strain was first detected in the United Kingdom.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced stricter restrictions in his country after experts found a more infectious聽strain聽of coronavirus, which, he said, 鈥渕aybe up to 70 percent more transmissible than the earlier聽strain.鈥�
Almost immediately, several countries imposed a travel ban on the United Kingdom, including Canada, Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, and Germany.聽The new strain has also reportedly entered Singapore.
The Philippines has starting Dec. 24 until Dec. 31.