By Roy Mabasa
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday (May 11) said Europe and the Middle East remain the "hotspots" of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases among Filipinos abroad.
Department of Foreign Affairs (MANILA BULLETIN)
This assessment came as the DFA reported 17 new confirmed cases, two new recoveries, and seven new deaths from these two regions, including the Americas.
“Based on the reports received today, the DFA confirms that Europe and the Middle East remain the hotspots of confirmed cases among our nationals abroad,” the foreign affairs office said.
These latest figures bring the total number of overseas Filipinos infected with COVID-19 to 2,195.
Of the total, 1,291 are considered “live cases” or patients still undergoing treatment, 644 have recovered, while 260 succumbed to the disease.
The DFA noted that most recoveries are reported in Asia and the Pacific at 239 cases, while the most number of deaths are in the Americas at 142.
Meanwhile, nearly 300 Filipino seafarers of cruise ship MV Azura arrived in Manila at noontime on Monday via a chartered flight from the United Kingdom.
The flight is the first batch of Filipino repatriates from abroad after the government suspended for one week all inbound international commercial and chartered flights due to congestion in various quarantine centers in Metro Manila.