6 passengers in Chinese couple’s flights show nCoV symptoms

MANILA, Philippines — Six passengers who traveled with the Chinese couple who were found to be carriers of the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019 nCoV ARD) have exhibited symptoms of the virus, a police official said yesterday.

Col. Rhoderick Armamento, deputy director for operations of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said they have already communicated with 23 of the 61 passengers who flew with the Chinese couple on a Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu to Dumaguete City on Jan. 21.

Of the 23, three have manifested signs and symptoms of the respiratory infection. The other three were among 25 of the 132 passengers from a Philippine Airlines flight from Dumaguete to Manila that have already been contacted by the police.

Armamento said one of the passengers with symptoms has been quarantined in a provincial hospital while the rest are in their respective homes.

He added that the common symptoms of the six – all Filipinos – are cough and colds.

As of yesterday, the CIDG had contacted 48 passengers on the two flights, seven of whom are foreigners.

They were also advised to immediately coordinate with the Department of Health if they show any symptoms of the virus.

The Chinese man and woman arrived at the Mactan International Airport in Cebu City onboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J-241 last Jan. 20.

On Jan. 21, they flew to Dumaguete City onboard Cebu Pacific flight DG-6519 and from Dumaguete City, they returned to Manila on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 2542 on Jan. 25.

Armamento admitted that they are having difficulty tracing the remaining 145 passengers. Among their challenges is that some have listed cellphone numbers that are not working.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the police would not hesitate to employ force on persons with symptoms of the virus who would refuse to undergo additional tests at a hospital.

Contact authorities

Meanwhile, the PNP’s Aviation Security Group on Wednesday encouraged all passengers who were on the same flights taken by the two Chinese nationals to contact authorities for public safety to prevent the spread of the highly contagious and deadly virus.

The passengers aboard these flights and other people who had direct contact with the two Chinese were advised to contact the following hotline numbers: PNP 0917-8475757, CIDG Operations Center 0998-5988167 or 0927-7170752 and DOH Main Office 0919-8888364 for public safety and to stop the spread of the virus.

Philippine Airlines spokesperson Cielo Villaluna confirmed that a 38-year-old Chinese woman positive for the virus was a passenger on Philippine Airlines flight PR 2542 from Dumaguete to Manila on Jan. 25.

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific Air corporate communications director Charo Logarta-Lagamon said Cebu Pacific is in the process of contacting all passengers who were on flights 5J 241 (Hong Kong-Cebu) and DG 6519 (Cebu-Dumaguete) taken by the patients who tested positive for the deadly virus.  – With Rudy Santos