MANILA - Sen. Richard Gordon on Sunday said he is recovering from COVID-19 as he stressed the importance of getting vaccinated.

Gordon, who announced on Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID-19, said he is already recovering from the illness and will be released from the hospital once he is not contagious.

• Gordon tests positive for COVID-19

"Thank you for the outpouring of concern for my health and prayers for my immediate recovery. I am feeling better now despite still having pneumonia, and was happy to be able to be on the Philippine Red Cross weekly television and radio program this morning. I am on the fourth day of treatment with Remdesivir, and have been told by my doctors that I will remain confined until I am no longer contagious," he said in a statement.

Gordon reiterated the importance of testing and isolation at the onset of any symptom, even when one is already vaccinated.

"Doing so prevented me from transmitting the deadly virus to my wife, Kate, everyone who lives with us, and everyone who works with me at the PRC or who are on my Senate staff. It is also important to do contact tracing immediately so that those who are exposed can be tested. This is how we save lives. Transparency is the key to being responsible and proactive in dealing with COVID-19," he also said.

Gordon, who is also the chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross, urged everyone to get vaccinated as soon as it is made available to them.

"Had I not been vaccinated, this bout with COVID could be much worse. I encourage everyone for whom a vaccine has been made available to go and get yourselves vaxxed. It is effective in minimizing the transmission of the virus and in preventing serious illness," he said.

[ADMIN] Statement from Senator Dick Gordon, 1 August 2021 pic.twitter.com/w94ixyD39f

— Richard J. Gordon (@DickGordonDG) August 1, 2021

Gordon, who is turning 76 on Aug. 5, is the sixth member of the Senate to have contracted COVID-19. Senators Koko Pimentel, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sonny Angara, Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. earlier caught the respiratory illness and recovered.