By Minka Klaudia Tiangco Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso on Thursday said the city government will implement an action plan to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippine capital. (Photo via Manila PIO) The statement came minutes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, which is defined as the fast and widespread increase of infected people in various countries. In his city address broadcast live on Facebook, Domagoso said the city government's action plan, dubbed as CODE-COVID-19 (Contain and Delay), will require constant disinfecting of public places, opening additional health facilities to augment the national government's hospitals, acquisition of funds and additional health equipment, and disseminating information at frequent intervals. The local government unit received 135 misting machines as part of its Oplan Wisik or airborne disinfection operations. The Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) has led the Oplan Wisik operations since Monday (March 9). So far, the Manila City Hall, tourist destinations in the city, the University Belt, public hospitals, and 16 out of 17 public markets have been sprayed with disinfectants. The local chief executive also encouraged officials of private schools in Manila to reach out to the city government if they want their schools to undergo misting operations. Domagoso also announced that the recently opened Manila Center for Infectious Disease Control (MCIDC) at the 10th floor of the Sta. Ana Hospital has now been certified as an isolation ward by the Department of Health (DOH). Furthermore, the city mayor said he recently signed an executive order banning mass gatherings in the city in a bid to prevent the mass spreading of the virus. Stricter curfew measures will also be enforced, he added. Despite all this, the local chief executive urged residents to "live normally." "I want you to live normally. Huwag po kayong mangamba. Huwag nating hayaang manalo ang virus over our normal life. Kaya natin 'to. Tingin ko naman ay one way or another, malalagpasan nating ‘tong lahat (Do not be afraid. Do not let the virus win over our normal lives. We can do this. I think one way or another, we can overcome all of this)," he said. Domagoso said the public can contact the Manila Emergency Operations Center's 24-hour hotline, 8527-5174, for any information regarding COVID-19 in Manila. He also issued a directive for medical bulletins to be posted on Manila’s social media platforms to keep residents updated about the situation in the city. Domagoso confirmed that of the 49 COVID-19 cases in the country, only one patient is a resident of Manila. The patient is receiving treatment at a private hospital outside the city, he said. Two of the patients' family members are being investigated for COVID-19 in a private hospital, Domagoso added. On the other hand, the second COVID-19-related fatality in the country who died at the Manila Doctors Hospital, is not a resident of the Philippine capital, the city mayor said. "Salamat sa Diyos, dito naman tayo sa Manila, so far, so far, wala pa namang malaking numero ng infected o affected carrier ng COVID-19 (Thank God, here in Manila, so far, we do not have a big number of infected or affected carriers of COVID-19)," he said. "Umasa kayo na pag kami ay may nakuhang data (Rest assured that when we acquire data) over persons of interest, we will be honest and true enough to you to state the situation of our city."