Covid positive Filipinos abroad reach 169: DFA

According to DFA, a total of 111 cases were recorded in the Asia Pacific region, 18 in the Middle East, 20 in Europe, and 20 in the Americas. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – The number of Filipinos who contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) abroad has reached 169 as of March 24, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.

According to DFA, a total of 111 cases were recorded in the Asia Pacific region, 18 in the Middle East, 20 in Europe, and 20 in the Americas.

Of the total number, DFA confirmed that 90 have recovered while 77 are undergoing treatment.

The DFA has yet to detail the number of Filipino Covid-19 patients per country but one of the latest confirmations was from Hong Kong where seven Filipinos are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.

Since the outbreak began, the DFA said two Filipinos have succumbed to the disease abroad — foreign relations expert Dr. Alan Ortiz and a Filipino from the Asia Pacific region.

Ortiz, the president of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations, was the first Filipino to die of Covid-19.

Ortiz was invited by the French government for a security conference in Paris and died in the city on Monday morning “due to complications from Covid-19”, his daughter Monica confirmed.