By Roy Mabasa
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed the lives of four more Filipinos in Europe and the Middle East, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.
In a report, the DFA also said there are 68 new confirmed cases, mostly from Europe, while there were also four new recoveries in the same region.
Of the total number of reported cases, the DFA confirmed that over 140 are ship crew members.
Meanwhile, the repatriation of distressed Filipinos from abroad has slowed down due to the temporary suspension of flight operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport until May 10 to give way to the government’s efforts to ensure that OFWs are properly attended to upon their arrival.
The foreign affairs office advised all returning Filipinos affected by this suspension to contact the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate where they are currently located. Their contact details may be accessed through the OFW Help Facebook page and the DFA website.
“Rest assured that the DFA, together with its Foreign Service Posts (FSPs), remains committed to ensuring the welfare of both our sea-based and land-based Filipino workers affected by COVID-19 pandemic,” the department said.
As of May 4, the total number of overseas Filipinos with confirmed COVID-19 cases is 1,819, of which 1,130 are active cases or those undergoing treatment, 475 recovered, and 214 died.