1 of 8 travelers from South Africa located: DOH

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said it has tracked down one of the eight travelers from South Africa.

“The located ROF (returning overseas Filipino) is currently in home quarantine, with negative RT-PCR test, and no symptoms, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters in a Viber message.

Earlier, the DOH said the unlocated travelers are among the 253 individuals who arrived in the country between November 15 and 29.

Vergeire noted there are seven remaining unlocated travelers from South Africa who are all ROFs.

Three of them gave their agency’s contact numbers and not their personal numbers.

One traveler provided an incorrect contact number while one gave an incomplete contact number.

Meantime, the two other travelers were uncontactable.

Vergeire said the intentional provision of wrong contact details in health declaration forms is punishable under Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

“‘Yung (The) health declaration forms, once we sign it, we attest it to be true,” she said.

“We are continuously getting in touch with our local government units and other partners to be able to contact these individuals,” Vergeire added.