Over 2,500 vessels inspected by Coast Guard for coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has inspected over 2,500 vessels and other watercrafts in various ports and waterways amid the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

In its situation report for March 28 and 29, released on Monday, March 30, PCG said it has inspected a total of 2,557 vessels and other watercrafts — both domestic and foreign — spearheaded by the Task Group Laban COVID-19 Water Cluster.

This number includes the following:

Domestic Passenger Vessel: 202
Foreign Passenger Vessel: 2
Domestic Cargo Vessel: 247
Foreign Cargo Vessel: 87
Motor Tanker: 21
Domestic Fishing Vessel: 74
Fishing Boat: 888
Motorbanca: 896
Tugboat: 96
Domestic Private Watercraft: 22
Foreign Private Watercraft: 7
Domestic Government Vessel: 15

Likewise, PCG said that a total of 588 seaborne operations have been conducted including maritime patrol (118 operations), vehicle patrol (67 operations), motorcycle patrol (148 operations), and foot patrol (255 operations).

“Corresponding medical screening and health protocols to the crew were also performed,” PCG said.

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The Department of Health (DOH) said that there are 1,418 cases of COVID-19 in the country as of Sunday afternoon.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.

EDV