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BOQ: Some travelers from China who arrive in PHL test positive for COVID-19
Some travelers who came to the Philippines from China have tested positive for COVID-19 and are now undergoing isolation, the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) said Tuesday.
In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, BOQ deputy director Roberto Salvador Jr. said many Chinese have already arrived in the country, but only those who have not completed their primary vaccine series were required to undergo COVID-19 testing.
“Marami nang dumadating na Chinese pero iilan lang naman ‘yung mga nire-require natin na mag-antigen test—‘yung mga partially vaccinated. Meron ding nag-positive at ngayon naka-isolate naman po siya doon sa mga isolation facilities natin,” he said.
(Many Chinese have arrived, but we only require antigen test to those who were partially vaccinated. Some tested positive and are now in isolation in our facilities.)
Salvador did not give an exact number as to how many travelers from COVID-hit China tested positive for the virus upon arrival in the Philippines, but said there were only a few of them.
“Kaunti lang po sila. Pero itong mga nag-positive na ito, nag-positive po ito dahil required sila ng antigen test dahil pumasok sila rito na walang testing na non-vaccinated sila o partially vaccinated,” he continued.
Currently, foreign travelers who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are required to present a negative pre-departure antigen or RT-PCR test results before travel or upon arrival in the Philippines.
Salvador said that samples from the COVID-positive travelers would be brought to the Philippine Genome Center to determine which variant they are carrying.
“Sa ngayon, undergoing isolation pa po at hinihintay pa natin ‘yung mga test results. Makakasigurado naman kayo na lahat ng pagbabantay ay ginagawa ng BOQ at lahat ng agencies na involved sa border control,” he said.
(Right now, they are still undergoing isolation and we are still waiting for the test results. We assure the public that the BOQ and all agencies involved in border control are doing our best to check on arriving travelers from China.)
The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it directed the BOQ to intensify quarantine protocols in handling travelers from China amid the surge of COVID-19 cases there.
“As early as December 29, nagbaba na ang BOQ ng alert notice ng mga travelers galing China. Ito ay pinagtibay ng memorandum order ng DOH na inuutusan ang Bureau of Quarantine at lahat ng agencies na maghanda at magbantay sa mga arriving travelers natin from China,” Salvador said.
(As early as December 29, BOQ has issued an alert notice for travelers from China. This was strengthened by a memorandum order from the DOH, ordering the BOQ and all agencies to prepare and monitor the arriving travelers from China.)
“Naka-alert na tayo. Binabantayan natin lahat ng mga travelers na galing sa China. Mas pinag-iinting natin ‘yung pagmo-monitor, thermal scanning, pag ma-monitor ng signs and symptoms para mahuli natin kung sakaling dumating dito sila nang merong mga sintomas,” he added.
(We are on alert. We are monitoring all travelers from China. We are focusing more on monitoring thermal scanning and the travelers’ signs and symptoms so that we can determine if they arrive here with symptoms.)
According to the DOH, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will discuss the guidelines on border control for travelers from China.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. departed for China on Tuesday afternoon for a state visit set on January 3 to 5.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Nathaniel Imperial earlier said every precaution is being undertaken to ensure that no member of the Philippine delegation will get infected and bring back to the Philippines any variants of the virus.
He explained that if in any case a member of the Philippine delegation tested positive for COVID-19, the protocols being enforced in China must be followed. The patient must also be placed in quarantine.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
