Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana contracted COVID-19 again last week, his third since the pandemic began in 2020.
Lorenzana shared this to Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian before the start of virtual forum entitled 5th Manila Forum.
“It seems you are losing weight, Mr Secretary,” Ambassador Huang observed.
“I’m recovering from Covid, Mr. Ambassador,” Lorenzana intimated. “It was a hell week.”
Lorenzana, who is also the chairperson of the National Task Force against Covid-19, is fully vaccinated.
“Oh I’m sorry. Did you take Lianhua?” Ambassador Huang, referring to the Lianhua Qingwen traditional Chinese medicine against respiratory diseases.
“Of course, I still have a lot that you gave me,” the defense minister said, drawing a heartfelt laugh from Huang.
Chinese former vice minister and former ambassador to the Philippines Madame Fu Ying, who was also present during the video call, asked if the bug that affected Lorenzana is the hyper viral Omicron variant.
“I think it’s Omicron, Madame Ambassador. It is a mild infection but still it feels miserable,” Lorenzana added.
During the Cabinet meeting last week, Lorenzana told President Duterte he was in isolation
The 73-year old Cabinet secretary was reported to have tested positive twice last year — in November after coming from trips to Spain and Poland and in April.
Another Cabinet Secretary, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, contracted the Omicron virus last week. Compared to his two Covid infections in 2020, Año was asymptomatic of Covid19 last week.