Coronavirus cases among overseas Filipinos top 2K

While there are less new recoveries, the total at 574 remains higher than the fatalities at 244 and comprises about 27 percent of the overall confirmed cases. (File Photo by CDC/Unsplash)

MANILA – The number of Filipinos abroad who have contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has reached 2,140 with 218 new confirmed cases on Friday (May 8), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported.

Seventeen recovered while 22 died, mostly from the Middle East.

“These sudden increases compared to yesterday’s figures are due to limitations on the release of daily verified reports on foreign nationals afflicted with Covid-19 in most countries in the said region,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said.

While there are less new recoveries, the total at 574 remains higher than the fatalities at 244 and comprises about 27 percent of the overall confirmed cases.

Of the death toll, two were logged from the Asia Pacific region, 77 in Europe, 37 in Middle East/Africa, and 128 in the Americas.

Based on latest DFA data, a total of 26,130 overseas Filipinos have returned to the Philippines since the outbreak –7,684 are land-based while the remaining 18,446 are seafarers from at least 89 cruise ships.

“Marami po sa kanila ay nakauwi na sa kani-kanilang bayan at probinsya pero ‘yong iba most of them are stranded in Metro Manila while waiting for their PCR testing (Many of them returned to their respective provinces but there are those stranded in Metro Manila waiting for their PCR testing),” said DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola in a virtual briefing on Friday.

The DFA is currently awaiting the resumption of inbound flights before continuing the repatriation efforts.

The suspension of flights was made in an effort to decongest the quarantine facilities for returning nationals.