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50 Filipinos want to leave nCoV-hit Hubei: PH envoy
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Sta. Romana said there are no repatriation calls for Filipinos yet but all those who wish to come home will be assisted.
(File photo screenshot from RTVMalacanang/Youtube)
MANILA— Around 30 to 50 Filipinos want to evacuate from Hubei, China where Wuhan City, the ground zero of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is located, the Philippine embassy in Beijing said on Tuesday.
“The (Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai) which is closest to Hubei and which has jurisdiction over it is already in touch with over 30 to 50 Filipinos who have indicated they want to be evacuated in the province,” Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said.
He added that the embassy closely coordinates with the Chinese government in monitoring the situation and the around 300 Filipinos in Hubei province.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Sta. Romana said there are no repatriation calls for Filipinos yet but all those who wish to come home will be assisted.
He also reminded the concerned Filipinos to consider the risks as the 2019-nCoV continues to spread in the country.
“The moment they step out of their house, they go to the airport, they are on the plane there might be contact, the risk increases as compared to self-quarantine,” he said.
“Those who still want to go home after knowing all these (may) sign up then we’ll have an exact number,” he added.
As of posting, none of the 150 Filipinos in Wuhan and the remaining 150 within the province have been reported infected, all of whom are “basically staying indoors for self-quarantine,” said Sta. Romana.
“The assistance now is we are cooperating with the Chinese government if they need food, water, medical assistance, and face mask. The Chinese government has announced on Monday that they are shipping supplies to Wuhan, to Hubei including to foreign citizens meaning our Pinoys and they provided hotline numbers, online for 24 hours,” he said.
On Tuesday, a Department of Health-led interagency group on the 2019-nCoV situation proposed a “temporary restriction of issuance of visa for travelers coming from Hubei” and to issue travel advisories temporarily discouraging non-essential travel of Filipinos to China.
