MANILA — Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Thursday he has tested negative for the novel coronavirus and completed his 2-week quarantine for COVID-19 after getting infected.

Roque, also spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, had announced on March 15 he caught COVID-19. He said he was asymptomatic.

The official said he has received a certificate for completing his quarantine, a photo of which he said he would later show.

"Nag-negative na po ako sa PCR result," he said in a press briefing.

(I tested negative based on the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) result.)

Roque said he might have been infected with the novel coronavirus in one of his about 15 recent hospital visits "all within a period of 2 weeks." He did not disclose what his previous hospital trips were for.

"Kung talagang hindi kinakailangan pumunta sa ospital, di na po ako tatapak sa ospital," said Roque, who has also traveled to various provinces through the pandemic.

(If it's not necessary, I will no longer set foot in a hospital.)

Four other Cabinet members have recovered from COVID-19, namely Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

Video courtesy of PTV