Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez got infected with COVID-19 for the seconnd time, he announced on Thursday, March 18.

Lopez, who advocates further reopening the economy amid rising COVID-19 cases, first tested positive in December 2020.

He said he is asymptomatic and is currently in isolation.

“Am asymptomatic. Will have another test later to confirm. Hoping false positive,” Lopez said.

The trade chief noted that he observed minimum health protocols whenever he went out but still got infected with the coronavirus.

“[I’ve] been wearing mask shield and distancing outside home but still got hit,” he said.

Lopez said he was supposed to leave for Tacloban City to join President Rodrigo Duterte in giving livelihood kits to former rebels, but had to cancel.

Lopez is the latest government official who caught the virus.

Police chief Debold Sinas and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director Wilkins Villanueva recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Duterte’s spokesman, Harry Roque, also got recently infected. – Rappler.com