(Eagle News) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported more confirmed COVID-19 cases involving overseas Filipinos, as it vowed to work “to safely repatriate” more stranded Filipinos home.
On Wednesday, May 27, the DFA reported 29 new COVID cases, that brought the total number of confirmed cases to 2,664. On Thursday, May 28, the new cases spike at a high of 157 confirmed COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad – mostly from the Middle East. This brought the total to over the 2,800 mark.
“Of the total confirmed cases, 4 new recoveries were recorded in Asia and the Pacific, and a positive note of no new fatalities anywhere. The spike covers numbers received from one country in the Middle East where data was not updated for almost two months,” the DFA said in a tweet.
“Based on the latest figures, the DFA confirms that Europe and the Middle East still have the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases among Filipinos, Asia and the Pacific has the fewest number of cases, while the Americas still has the highest number of fatalities,” it said.
On Wednesday, the department noted total recovered OFWs were at 930 with 1,400 undergoing treatment. A day later, on Thursday, May 28, the four new recoveries added brought the total to 934, while those undergoing treatment rose to 1,553, with the addition of 153 Filipinos being treated abroad.
On Wednesday, six new deaths were recorded, bringing to 334 the total number of COVID-19 related deaths among overseas Filipinos as of May 26. On Thursday, May 27, the toll remained at 334 with no new deaths reported.
The rise in cases came as some countries ease existing travel and mobility restrictions.
The DFA assures that it will “continue to actively monitor the status of the Filipino community abroad and work to safely repatriate more of our stranded nationals home.”
Those being repatriated to the country are those who have tested negative for the virus, or those considered asymptomatic. Upon return to the country, the OFWs will again be tested for COVID-19 and undergo a 14-day quarantine period.
With the earlier order from President Rodrigo Duterte, the transport of OFWs back to their home provinces is also being sped up, as the testing and processing of their swab samples are being prioritized so they can immediately return to their home provinces, towns and cities.
Eagle News Service
