By Rizal Obanil An official of the Philippine Embassy in Japan said the Filipino cruise ship crew member who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (nCoV) is doing well and seems to be responsive to the treatment being given. A passenger aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship waves to the media upon arriving at Yokohama port on February 6, 2020.
(AFP / MANILA BULLETIN) “Siya po ay inalis...sa barko, dinala na po siya ng mga Japanese authorities sa ospital. So ngayon po ay nag-u-undergo siya ng test at treatment po. Everyday naman po nakakakuha tayo ng update tungkol sa kanyang kondisyon,” Robespierre Bolivar, deputy head of mission of the Philippine Embassy in Japan, said in an interview Friday over the DZMM radio show hosted by Noli de Castro. (He was taken from the ship and brought by Japanese authorities to a hospital. He is undergoing tests and treatment. We get updates everyday about his condition.) Bolivar said the latest update they got was that the crew member is responding positively to treatment and that they would be getting updated information about him later on in the day. The Embassy official said aside from that crew member undergoing tests and treatment, the rest of the 538 Filipino crew and passengers are now undergoing a 14-day quarantine. “Naka-quarantine po sila, 14 days. Di po sila maaaring umalis sa kanilang mga quarters. Pero po ang Japanese authorities, araw-araw po nagdadala ng pagkain at saka ‘yung ibang supplies na mga kailangan nila, at may contact din po sa amin ang ibang Filipino nating kasama doon. “At kung meron po silang mga concerns, pinapaalam naman po sa atin, at kami naman po nagpapaalam sa Japanese government para maaksyunan po ‘yung mga concerns nila,” the Embassy official said. (They are on 14-day quarantine. They are not allowed to leave their quarters. But the Japanese authorities bring them food and other supplies that they need everyday, and we are in contact with the other Filipinos there. If they have concerns, they let us know, and we relay their concerns to the Japanese government for appropriate action.) Regarding Filipinos in general in Japan, Bolivar said there is so far no report of any land-based Filipino being infected with nCoV.