MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Health, and health experts convened an emergency meeting Monday to discuss measures to protect overseas Filipino workers amid the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China and other countries.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Malaya sought the guidance of the Health department on how to establish protocols on the evacuation and repatriation of Filipinos in affected cities and provinces—particularly Wuhan, China, which is the epicenter of the pandemic.
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The officials also discussed the formulation of further health advisories for OFWs in affected countries, the DFA said in a statement.
The DOH will
be establishing hotlines in every foreign service post in China, where Filipinos can directly call.
OFWs in affected areas are advised to avoid crowded places, use
masks and gloves, and to practice proper hygiene to reduce exposure to and transmission of the SARS-like virus.
According to the DFA, there are no reports yet of any Filipino abroad who has
been affected by the novel coronavirus.
"The DFA, through its Embassies and Consulates General in China and affected areas, continues to reach out to overseas Filipinos to take necessary precautions and follow the advice from local health authorities in their area," the DFA said in a statement.
The DFA added that it is coordinating with Filipino communities overseas to call for volunteer nurses and doctors who can response in case a fellow Filipino would
be infected.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque clarified earlier Monday that there is no confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines.
The DOH, however, is monitoring 11 patients under investigation that have
been put under quarantine. — Patricia Lourdes Viray