OFW from Qatar dies during quarantine inside hotel in Cebu

Map of Lapu-Lapu City.

CEBU CITY — A 41-year-old overseas Filipino worker was found dead inside her quarantine room in a hotel in Lapu-Lapu City on Sunday, May 30.

Geraldine Dasalya, a native of Nueva Ecija, arrived in Lapu-Lapu City from Qatar on May 21, and was quarantined for 10 days, according to Col. Arnel Banzon, director of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office.

Dasalya, he said, was supposed to board a flight going to Nueva Ecija on Sunday after testing negative for COVID-19.

Her companion, who was just in an adjacent room, reported to the hotel management that Dasalya didn’t answer her phone calls. The hotel nurse went to the room but Dasalya was no longer responsive.

Banzon said there were no signs of foul play.

The police director said the cause of death has yet to be established as authorities await the approval of the victim’s family to conduct an autopsy.

The local office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has already informed the immediate family about Dasalya’s death.

The house parent from OWWA said Dasalya did not entirely disclose her medical condition upon arrival in Cebu from Qatar.

Dasalya was reportedly retrenched from work due to her medical condition.

OWWA will be arranging the transport of the body back to her family in Nueva Ecija via sweeper flight from Cebu to Manila once the autopsy report and the death certificate are out.

JPV