(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an order “to bring home everyone” in China, a Department of Foreign Affairs official said on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
“That’s the order of the President, to bring home everyone. And we will bring everyone home safely,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said in a press conference, as Chinese health authorities reported a spike to over 100 in the deaths from the novel coronavirus in the Asian country.
According to Dulay, there are over 100 Filipinos in Wuhan, where the virus was first identified in December 2019.
He said there are over 300 Filipinos in Hubei, the province where Wuhan is situated, although the number could increase since he said some Filipinos did not coordinate with the Philippine embassy upon their arrival in China.
According to Dulay, those who will choose to return to the Philippines, however, will need to be quarantined first.
