Over 50 Pinoys contract Covid-19 in Malaysia

“We are monitoring 55 Filipinos who tested positive for Covid-19, and all, except one, are Filipinos who came from the Philippines to attend a Tabligh gathering,” he said during the Laging Handa briefing. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – Over 50 Filipinos who attended a Tabligh, a mass Islamic gathering, in Malaysia have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Philippine Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur Charles Jose reported Friday.

“We are monitoring 55 Filipinos who tested positive for Covid-19, and all, except one, are Filipinos who came from the Philippines to attend a Tabligh gathering,” he said during the Laging Handa briefing.

Of the total Filipino positive cases in the country, Jose said 46 are undergoing treatment, while nine have recovered.

He assured that the embassy would assist the patients on repatriation once their treatment ended.

“The embassy is monitoring their status and safety on a daily basis. They are confined in government hospitals, once their treatment ended and they are cleared, we will help repatriate them,” he said in Filipino.

Jose said a separate Malaysian Airlines flight was arranged for stranded Filipinos on April 5.

“We are in cooperation with the Malaysian Embassy in Manila because the airplane would also carry stranded Malaysian from the Philippines back to their country, the same plane would bring the stranded Filipinos from Malaysia,” he said.

So far, a total of 24 Filipinos have signed up for the said flight.

Meantime, he belied reports that foreign nationals are being discriminated in the Asian nation.

“Wala pong nagaganap na discrimination dito sa Malaysia laban sa mga foreigners (There’s no discrimination here in Malaysia against foreigners) when it comes to buying goods at supermarkets and other stores. As far as food and basic necessities are concerned wala pong problema dito sa (we have no problem here in) Malaysia,” he said.