17 more Filipinos abroad infected with COVID-19

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday reported 17 more new confirmed COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases among Filipinos in Asia and the Pacific region. 
 
This brings the number of Filipinos abroad afflicted with coronavirus to 9,774. No new fatalities and new recoveries were recorded from the country’s various foreign service posts worldwide. 
 
For three consecutive days, the DFA did not receive any report of new fatalities among overseas Filipinos abroad due to COVID-19.
 
Meanwhile, the DFA, through its Embassy in Beirut, has intensified its preparations to repatriate Filipinos who want to come home amid the rising tension in Lebanon in the aftermath of the twin explosions that rocked the capital last week.
 
On Monday, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced his cabinet’s resignation in response to the public outcry over the catastrophic blasts that killed more than a hundred and injured thousands, including Filipinos. 
 
Despite the brewing tension in Lebanon, the DFA did not express any intention to raise the alert level a notch higher.
 
“Lebanon has been on Alert Level 2 since the start of 2020 and it has not been changed,” DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said. 
 
Alert Level 2, or the Restriction Phase, is being hoisted if there are real threats to the life, security, and property of Filipinos arising from internal disturbance, instability, or external threat.