A Department of Health (DOH) official on Friday said that the results of the genome sequencing on Gwyneth Chua’s swab sample could not be disclosed to the public due to privacy laws.
In a Palace briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that Republic Act 11332 and the Data Privacy Act did not allow the DOH to release individuals’ results to the public.
“Lumabas na po kahapon ang ating genome sequencing results and we’re still trying to verify. Kailangan lang pong maintindihan ng ating mga kababayan na…we cannot disclose the results of our genome sequencing to the public,” she said.
Chua became infamous for skipping mandatory quarantine and partying in Poblacion, Makati during the holidays, only to find out later that she was Covid-19 positive.
Chua came from the US, which is facing a surge in Omicron cases
Berjaya Hotel, Chua’s quarantine facility, was slapped with a closure order for allowing a guest to cut quarantine.
The Philippine government has also vowed action against Chua and her parents.
Fifteen of Chua’s close contacts have already been identified, of which seven tested positive for Covid-19.
Among her 19 secondary contacts, one caught the disease. John Ezekiel J. Hirro