Amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-2019), the city government of Manila ordered classes in all levels suspended for one week on Monday.

"Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has ordered the suspension of classes from March 9 to 15, 2020 amid the growing number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the country," the Public Information Office (PIO) of Manila City said in a Facebook post Monday afternoon.

According to the Manila City PIO "the class suspension covers all levels in public and private schools" within the city.

In a video released by the Manila City PIO, Moreno urged school administrators to disinfect and clean their institutions during the one-week suspension of classes.

"I encourage the school administrators to disinfect your schools lets take this opportunity to clean our environment in our respective institutions," he said.

Moreno also mentioned that in Manila there were 14 persons under monitoring.

"We have 14 persons under monitoring. They are being monitored within there barangays but we have zero persons under investigation within Manila just for your information," he said.

Moreno also emphasized that the City of Manila prepared a health facility that can be used in handling possible COVID-19 patients.

"A few nights ago we already launch the Manila Center for Infectious Diseases. We alloted the entire 10th floor of Sta Ana Hospital for this," he said.

"A few weeks ago we started renovating and make it fit in this kind of situation. This facility would...augment...the needs of the national government (if needed), as we speak it is being inspected by DOH officials," he added. Robina Asido/DMS