By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, April 21 (PNA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed the Department of Health (DOH) to intensify efforts in locating and contacting the passengers of the Etihad Airlines Flight EY 0424 who need to be screened for possible Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
Last April 15, a returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who worked as a nurse in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was tested positive for MERS-CoV upon arrival in the Philippines.
He and his family and relatives were immediately placed under quarantine. On April 19, however, the DOH announced that recent tests showed that the OFW was negative for the virus.
In a Palace media briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that the DOH continues to contact more than 200 passengers of the EY 0424 flight.
“As of 8:00 a.m. today, 173 out of 414 passengers or 42 percent have been contacted,” Coloma said.
“Of this number, 100 passengers or 24 percent have been tested. We are awaiting results of the test on the 73 other passengers. All 100 passengers tested negative,” he added.
Coloma also said that the President has also instructed the DOH to ensure that all the passengers undergo a free nose and throat swabbing tests for the MERS-CoV in all public hospitals or DOH-accredited medical facilities.
He reiterated the government’s call for the more than 200 other passengers of Etihad Airlines flight EY 0424 to coordinate directly with the DOH through its 24-hour hotlines.
DOH landline numbers are 711-1001 and 711-1002, while mobile telephone numbers are 0922-884-1564; 0920-949-8419; and 0915-772-5621. (Philippine News Agency)
