(Eagle News) — Two of the 12 COVID-19-positive crew members of the ship that was allowed to dock in Manila from India are in critical condition.
In a statement, the Maritime Industry Authority said the two from MV Athens Bridge have been safely evacuated and brought to a medical facility for treatment, after assessment by doctors from the Bureau of Quarantine who boarded the vessel.
MARINA said the rest of the crew members remain in the vessel and will be provided with needed medical supplies, including oxygen tanks, with assistance from the Bureau of Quarantine and the Philippine Coast Guard.
“The national government, through the maritime sector of the DOTr, assures that the situation and the condition of the crew members will be consistently monitored,” MARINA said.
According to MARINA, the ship was allowed to dock at the Port of Manila on May 6 upon clearance from the BOQ and the Department of Health.
The PCG had sought the clearance after a request from the vessel’s captain for a medical evacuation of the two crew members who needed urgent medical care.
The vessel, at that time, was located 12 nautical miles west of Corregidor Island.
According to the vessel’s shipping agent, MV Athens Bridge departed India on April 22 and arrived in Haiphong, Vietnam on May 1 for the conduct of the crew’s RT-PCR test.
It was later on found that 12 out of the 21 Filipino crew members onboard were positive for COVID-19.
The Philippines has an existing travel ban on travelers from India, where another COVID-19 virus variant, said to be a “double-mutant,” was reported in the country.
The variant is said to be responsible for the surge in COVID-19 cases there.
The travel ban–which took effect on April 29– is supposed to last until May 14.
