By Roy Mabasa
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday reported a sudden spike in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related cases among Filipinos abroad with 22 new deaths and 218 new confirmed cases mostly in the Middle East.
With these latest figures, the DFA said the total number of COVID-19 cases among Filipinos worldwide is now 2,140.
Of the total number, 1,322 are undergoing treatment, 574 have recovered or discharged from health facilities, and 244 succumbed to the disease.
“These sudden increases compared to yesterday’s figures are due to limitations on the release of daily verified reports on foreign nationals afflicted with COVID-19 in most countries in the said region,” the foreign affairs office explained.
Despite the rise in the number of new cases, the DFA noted that the total number of Filipinos who recovered from COVID-19 remains more than twice than the total fatalities and comprises about 27 percent of the total confirmed cases.
In Dubai alone, Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes confirmed that 23 Filipinos died due to the pandemic.
Another four Filipino nationals also died of the disease in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.