Crewmen of Chinese cargo ship quarantined

TACLOBAN CITY — Local health authorities have placed under 14-day quarantine the all-Filipino crewmen of a Chinese-registered cargo ship docked at the Philpost port in Isabel town.

Ernesto Cabatic, commanding officer of the Coast Guard in Ormoc City, said the M/V Pana—max Strength, arrived in Isabel from China Wednesday morning to deliver thousands of bags of fertilizer.

Two of the Filipino crewmembers were reported to have violated the quarantine period after the ship captain permitted them to go home to Cebu City for a two-day vacation since they were found with no symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The two crewmen, however, will be back to comply with the quarantine. Cabatic denied that they jumped ship.

Cabatic said health officials in Isabel are closely monitoring the Filipino crewmen confined in the cargo vessel. — Miriam Garcia Desacada