The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday recorded 20 new confirmed cases, two new deaths, and 49 new recoveries among Filipinos from COVID-19 abroad.
Nine-thousand, six-hundred twenty-seven Filipinos have been afflicted by the virus abroad.
The DFA said the new cases of recoveries were from the Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and the European regions while the new cases of infections were from recorded in four countries in Asia and the Pacific and Europe, respectively.
The two new deaths were from the Middle East, the region with the biggest number of coronavirus-positive Filipinos.
The DFA said 5,730 have so far recovered, 3,202 are undergoing treatment, and 695 have succumbed to the deadly virus.
Despite the continuing uptick in the number of cases affecting Filipinos abroad, the DFA assured that it remains steadfast in promoting and protecting the welfare of the nationals, whenever and wherever possible.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ordered the department to immediately repatriate the remains of the first Filipino fatality of COVID-19 in war-torn Libya.
“Oh God. Bring home ASAP. Our duty our small recompense to our poor countrymen abroad,” Locsin said in a tweet.
According to DFA Undersecretary Brigido Dulay, efforts are now under way to bring home the remains at the soonest amidst the ongoing conflict and border and travel restrictions in Libya.