DOH: South Korean from virus-hit Daegu City located

MANILA, Philippines — The South Korean who arrived in Cebu last week from coronavirus-stricken Daegu City has already been traced, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

During Monday’s press conference, DOH Assistant Secretary for public health services Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire said the unidentified male South Korean was being tracked down as he gave false information to authorities about his whereabouts.

The South Korean and his 25 compatriots from Daegu City landed at the Mactan Cebu International Airport on February 25, or few days before the Philippine government enforced a travel ban on South Korea’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epicenter.

READ: Ban on 3 areas in South Korea now in effect – BI

“Bale po, nakuha na namin ang impormasyon kagabi na nakita na ‘yung huli (We got the information last night that the last South Korean has been located),” Vergeire said in an interview with DZMM.

“Ngayon po, meron na po tayong 17 na nakabalik na ng South Korea. Isa po, nasa Angeles, Pampanga, at na-endorse na po natin sa regional office, sa Region 3 at binabantayan siya ngayon.”

(Now, we already have 17 who flew back to South Korea. One of them is in Angeles, Pampanga, and we already endorsed him to our regional office in Region 3 and now being observed.)

“Ang walo ay naka-quarantine sa mga hotels sa Cebu at binabantayan po sila ng maigi ng ating local government,” the DOH official added.

(The other eight are under quarantine in Cebu hotels and being strictly observed by our local government.)

KGA