2 Filipinos from Japan cruise ship had respiratory symptoms — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — Two more Filipinos, who were evacuated from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship have shown symptoms of respiratory illness, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

“(There are) two more repatriates who were brought to our facility because of sore throat. Their specimens have been collected and sent for testing,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a press conference at the DOH main office.

Duque said the repatriates were transferred from the quarantine site in New Clark City in Tarlac province to a referral hospital for isolation.

Previously, the health department said there are three symptomatic repatriates from the cruise ship, which was quarantined offshore in Japan due to COVID-19 outbreak.

Duque said the three symptomatic repatriates include a 39-year-old who experienced cough, and a 34-year-old and a 27-year-old complained of “throat discomfort.”

Two of them had already tested negative for novel coronavirus. The DOH is still awaiting results from Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for the third symptomatic patient.

The health chief also assured the public that the government’s team members who assisted in the repatriation of the Filipinos are asymptomatic.

EDV