MANILA (UPDATED) — The Greenhills shopping center in San Juan City underwent disinfection operations before dawn on Sunday, following reports that a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient had frequented the establishment.

The activity involved the management of Ortigas Complex and the San Juan City government, while the disinfecting team was organized by former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Tim Orbos and inventor Edgardo Vasquez, the brains behind a cooling system used for the disinfection.

"The private sector needs to step in and do its share to help contain this virus," Orbos said in a statement.

Courtesy of former MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos

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• LOOK: Greenhills shopping center a ghost town

Orbos' group is also working on misting tents and tunnels to curb the spread of COVID-19 in communities.

The Greenhills shopping center management said it was "continuously coordinating" with the health department and city government.

It said it also implemented temperature checks, provided sanitizers in mall entrances and soaps in restrooms, posted hand-washing guidelines, and set up a help desk manned by health workers.

"Rest assured that the health of our shoppers, tenants, employees, and the public remains as our top priority," said the mall's management. ​

Courtesy of former MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos

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The Philippines so far reported 6 cases of the disease, including a 62-year-old man, identified as the country's 5th case, who regularly visited a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan. The man's wife was also infected, becoming the 6th case.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to declare on Monday a state of public health emergency over the virus after the 5th case was classified as an incident of local transmission.

The move will "be crucial to facilitate the sufficient and immediate access to funding, particularly for local government units, and ease processes on procurement, mandatory reporting, mandatory quarantine, and travel restrictions," said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

"It would also put to rest questions on whether an automatic price freeze on medicines and medical supplies may be made by the DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry," he said in a Feb. 21 letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Across the world, there have been almost 105,000 COVID-19 cases recorded in 95 countries and territories with 3,556 deaths since the pathogen emerged from central China late last year. With a report from Agence France-Presse ​