Four of the crew members of the MV Athens Bridge who tested positive for the B.1.617 coronavirus variant first detected in India are still in a hospital in Metro Manila, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, patients will be subjected to the COVID-19 test again on Monday, the 21st day, since they developed symptoms of the disease.
“Ang isa po sa kanila ngayon ay naka-intubate pero sabi po ng ospital, binigyan tayo ng update, na nasa maayos na kalagayan at mukhang nag-i-improve. Tatlo po sa kanila are under oxygen support, and they are also doing well,” said Vergeire.
(One of them is now intubated, but the hospital says it has given us an update, which is in good condition and seems to be improving. Three of them are under oxygen support, and they are also doing well.)
The DOH first reported that nine personnel on such ship were spotted with the B.1.617 variant. Five of them are in an isolation facility.
The MV Athens Bridge was allowed to land at the port in Metro Manila because two of the patients needed medical attention.
DOH: 1 of those with B.1.617 variant intubated; 3 under oxygen support
Vergeire ensured that the ship’s crews were immediately placed in the isolation facility and subjected to COVID-19 tests.
The Philippines has 12 cases of B.1.617 (India) variant.
According to the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), the variant first found in India is more contagious.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the extended travel ban’s implementation, including Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting May 15.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente shared that they received an order from Malacanang extending the ongoing temporary travel ban for travelers coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka until May 31, 2021.
“Following said order, those coming from Oman and UAE would temporarily be barred as well, until the end of the month,” said Morente. “Those who will be coming from, or have a travel history within the last 14 days from the 7 countries will excluded and sent back to their port of origin,” he added.
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