By Analou De Vera
An official of the Department of Health (DOH) said the 38-year-old Chinese woman, the country's first confirmed case of 2019 novel coronavirus, was on flights of both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo
(RTVM / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo answered in the affirmative when asked by the Manila Bulletin through a text message . The other specifics of the flight details have yet to be disclosed as of this writing. The DOH on Thursday said the patient arrived in the country from Wuhan, China via Hongkong last Jan. 21. It was also disclosed that the Chinese national also went to Cebu and Dumaguete City. Domingo also confirmed to Manila Bulletin that the patient is currently admitted at the San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila. The health department is in close coordination with the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and the airline companies for the contact tracing of the patient's co-passengers, said DOH Epidemiology Bureau head Dr. Ferchito Avelino. Meanwhile, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) said in a statement that its charter flights between Kalibo, Aklan and cities in China--- Nanjing, Hangzhou,and Pudong-Shanghai "have been suspended, as the Chinese authorities implemented precautionary measures to restrict outbound tourist travel from mainland China." The PAL said it will maintain its scheduled flights between Manila and Beijing, Pudong Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinjiang, Xiamen, Hong Kong, and Macau. Cebu Pacific, on the other hand, said it will be "reducing flights between the Philippines, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau from February 5 to March 29, 2020."
Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo(RTVM / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo answered in the affirmative when asked by the Manila Bulletin through a text message . The other specifics of the flight details have yet to be disclosed as of this writing. The DOH on Thursday said the patient arrived in the country from Wuhan, China via Hongkong last Jan. 21. It was also disclosed that the Chinese national also went to Cebu and Dumaguete City. Domingo also confirmed to Manila Bulletin that the patient is currently admitted at the San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila. The health department is in close coordination with the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and the airline companies for the contact tracing of the patient's co-passengers, said DOH Epidemiology Bureau head Dr. Ferchito Avelino. Meanwhile, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) said in a statement that its charter flights between Kalibo, Aklan and cities in China--- Nanjing, Hangzhou,and Pudong-Shanghai "have been suspended, as the Chinese authorities implemented precautionary measures to restrict outbound tourist travel from mainland China." The PAL said it will maintain its scheduled flights between Manila and Beijing, Pudong Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinjiang, Xiamen, Hong Kong, and Macau. Cebu Pacific, on the other hand, said it will be "reducing flights between the Philippines, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau from February 5 to March 29, 2020."