Filipinos in Covid-19-infected Japanese cruise ship to be repatriated soon as cases rise
Credit to Author: John Eric Mendoza| Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:58:28 +0000
THE repatriation of Filipino crew and passengers of a Japanese cruise ship are being finalized as Filipinos who contracted the COVID-19 virus climbed to 41 from 35, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Wednesday.
Those who tested positive were mostly crew members of the MV Diamond Princess, Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Vergeire said that only when the DoH has finalized all the processes for clearance and coordination with the Japanese government could they proceed with the repatriation of Filipinos who wished to go home.
“[The repatriation] will be in the coming days,” said Vergeire during a press briefing in Manila.
“Kailangan lang natin i-coordinate ng maayos ang processes for clearances and coordination with the government of Japan and its foreign ministries, as well as with the cruise ship owner,” she added.
Vergeire said Filipinos eyeing repatriation should have no symptoms of the Covid-19 and should test negative for the respiratory disease before they could board the chartered planes.
Vergeire said there were facilities for quarantine, but these have yet to be announced, because the Interagency Task Force “needs to coordinate with local government units.”
The DoH said there were 538 Filipinos in the cruise ship, and around 100 of them refused repatriation.