DOH: 1 symptomatic patient from virus-hit cruise ship hospitalized due to diarrhea

MANILA, Philippines — One of the 16 symptomatic patients repatriated from the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship has been admitted to a hospital in Tarlac due to diarrhea, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

The other 15 were returned to quarantine quarters in New Clark City in Capas town from different hospitals nearby after their specimens tested negative for the novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

In a press conference at DOH’s central office in Manila, Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the sample taken from the confined repatriate, whose age and gender was not disclosed, was brought to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City for evaluation.

Over 400 Filipinos evacuated from the cruise ship arrived in the Philippines on February 25. They were directly ferried to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

40 Diamond Princess crew cured in Japan

Vergeire, meanwhile, said 40 Filipino crew members of Diamond Princess have already recovered in Japan, and that 19 of them are due to return to the Philippines soon.

“Among those 40 na naka-recover, ang nakabalik sa bansa ay 21. Nineteen are being processed for repatriation,” she said.

(Among those 40 who already recovered, 21 have already returned to the Philippines. Nineteen are being processed for repatriation.)

The health official, however, said 40 other Filipino cruise ship workers remain confined in various hospitals and health centers in Tokyo.

A total of 80 Filipino crew members of Diamond Princess declined repatriation to the Philippines even after testing positive for COVID-19.

KGA