Philippines' Duterte cancels address due to Covid-19 among staff

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday cancelled his weekly national televised address due to an increase in active cases of Covid-19 among his staff, including some of his security detail, government officials said. The Philippines is battling one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia, with hospitals in the capital overwhelmed with record daily infections and authorities facing delays in delivery of Covid-19 vaccines. The Philippines has seen new daily cases surge in recent weeks, surpassing 15,000 on April 2, most of those in the capital Manila. ‘The physical safety of the president remains our utmost concern,’ presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement, adding they were also concerned for the wellbeing of staff.