By Roy Mabasa
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday (June 4) reported 96 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among Filipinos in three major geographical regions in the world, raising the total number of infections among Filipinos abroad to 5,355.
Of the total confirmed cases, five new recoveries were recorded in Asia and the Pacific and Europe and two new deaths in the Middle East.
The latest DFA figures showed that the Middle East and Europe still have the highest number of recorded Filipinos infected with COVID-19 with 3,346 and 834 cases, respectively.
On the other hand, the Asia and the Pacific region has the fewest number of cases with 518. The Americas still has the highest number of deaths (152) followed by the Middle East (112).
Earlier, the DFA announced the demise of overseas Filipino worker Marcelo Tanyag III in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia due to suspected COVID-19 infection.
“The Philippine government, through the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, will bear upon Mr. Tanyag’s employer to explain if their actions, or lack thereof, contributed to his untimely demise,” the DFA said in a statement.
In a Facebook post days before he died, Tanyag claimed that he had been feeling ill since May 23, showing symptoms of cough and fever. He was reportedly brought by his employer to a clinic for a check-up and was afterward made to stay inside his room even when his health was deteriorating.