Zubiri positive for COVID-19 anew

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for the second time, the senator announced on Monday.

The senator was present during the the second regular session of the 18th Congress where he led the reopening of the Senate with 16 other physically present senators.

Zubiri came in contact with senators who went on to the Batasang Pambansa for President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

He first contracted the virus back in March after having interacted with a COVID-19 patient in the Senate.

Zubiri then announced his recovery from the virus aboout a month after on April 12. Zubiri tested negative twice for the virus.

However, cases of reinfection for coronavirus is very unlikely.

As quoted in a New York Times report, testing positive for the virus again after testing negative may be the result of a "false negative".

"What's more likely is that some people have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after their initial exposure," the report said.

Zubiri said that doctors had told him a similar explanation for his positive test.

"According to doctors, it is possible that the test detected remnants of the dead virus cells in my body as I am a COVID survivor," he said.

The senator had opted to skip attending President Duterte's SONA this afternoon.