PH to repatriate 22 more Filipinos from quarantined cruise ship in Japan

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is set to repatriate 22 more Filipinos from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined at the port of Yokohama in Japan.

Eighty Filipino crew members of the cruise ship earlier tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH Assistant Secretary for public health services, said 32 of the 80 have fully recovered from the disease. She said 10 of those who have recovered have already returned to the country.

“May naiwan pa na 22 na sa ngayon inaayos pa (There are still 22 Filipinos left behind there and their planned repatriation is being processed) through our Embassy there and DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs),” she said in a press briefing on Monday.

According to Vergeire, the 22 Filipinos will only have to undergo “strict monitoring” once they return to the country, since they have already recovered from the virus and tested negative for two consecutive medical examinations. She noted they are also not showing symptoms of the disease anymore.

A total of 458 Filipinos are currently quarantined at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. They are composed of the repatriates and those who were part of the government’s repatriation team.

Fourteen of them showed symptoms of the virus. Of this number, 10 already tested negative while four are awaiting test results.