The Department of Health is on top of the situation amid a reported possible first case of novel coronavirus in human in the country, Malacanang said on Thursday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the government does not need yet to implement "drastic measures" against the virus, which reportedly originated in Wuhan City in China.

"I talked with (Health) Secretary (Francisco) Duque (III) and he said that we are on top of the situation. It has not reached an alarming level that we have to do some drastic measures, like prohibiting people from entering, especially those suspected of having that kind of virus," he said.

The Department of Health has said there was no confirmed case of novel coronavirus in the country.

It said it has yet to receive the confirmatory results for the five-year-old Chinese child who showed flu-like symptoms upon arriving in Cebu earlier this week.

The child reportedly came from Wuhan City. Celerina Monte/DMS