MANILA, Philippines — Seventeen more locally-stranded individuals (LSIs) at the crammed Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila City have been found positive in the rapid antibody test for the new coronavirus, driving the total to 25 as of Tuesday.
Transport Assistant Secretary Eymard Eje said the infected LSIs were already transferred to a quarantine facility.
“Report from the ground: As of today, 25 tested positive through rapid tests. They are now at a quarantine facility,” he said in a text message on Tuesday.
Another 70 LSIs, who were exposed to persons who previously tested positive in the rapid antibody test, are now under isolation and will be brought to other facilities, he added.
On Monday, eight to nine LSIs were reported to have tested positive in rapid tests.
They were immediately brought to isolation areas and were subjected to confirmatory swab tests facilitated by personnel of the Department of Health.
This report comes as the public criticized the lack of physical distancing at the Rizal Sports Complex where thousands were awaiting transportation back to the provinces via the government’s “Hatid Tulong” program.
The “Hatid Tulong” program offers free transportation assistance to ferry stranded individuals to their home provinces amid the coronavirus pandemic.