MANILA - The Office of the Ombudsman suspended work for disinfection procedures amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

Its offices in Quezon City, Cebu City, Tacloban City, Iloilo City, Davao City and Cagayan De Oro will be closed on March 12 and 13, the Ombudsman said in an advisory.

The Ombudsman will resume operations on Monday, March 16, after its work stations and public facilities have been sanitized.

• Philippines confirms 16 new COVID-19 cases; total now at 49

As of Wednesday, the Philippines has recorded 49 cases of COVID-19, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

The new strain of the coronavirus has infected more than 118,000 people and killed nearly 4,300 others, latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) showed.

The disease, which is transmitted through droplets and close contact between humans, has spread to 114 countries and territories.