By Joseph Jubelag
GENERAL SANTOS CITY- Four Chinese tourists were found negative for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) following a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the drug rehabilitation facility in Alabel, Sarangani.
Sarangani provincial health officer Arvin Alejandro said the Chinese nationals, including a minor, did not show any symptoms of COVID-19 after the two-week quarantine procedure ended last Thursday.
He said the Chinese nationals were allowed to leave the drug rehabilitation facility on Friday and were brought to General Santos City international airport to take a flight back to China.
He said the four Chinese tourists who arrived in a beach resort in Glan town last Feb. 2 were tracked down by local health authorities to undergo the mandatory quarantine procedure imposed by the Department of Health for Chinese nationals who visit the Philippines amid threats of the possible spread of COVID-19.
He said the Chinese tourists were turned over to the epidemiology surveillance unit of the Department of Health which administered the quarantine procedure.
Sarangani Gov. Steve Solon said the Chinese tourists were taken care of during their quarantine process at the drug rehabilitation center which is not yet occupied by drug rehab patients.
Meanwhile, local health authorities in M’lang, North Cotabato have placed under monitoring for possible COVID-19 infection two overseas Filipino workers who arrived home early this month from abroad.
Minerva Suriaga, local disease surveillance officer, said the two OFW workers arrived in Manila last Feb. 5 from United Kingdom and Bahrain, but they made stopover flights in Hongkong and Singapore.
She said the two OFW workers were required to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine which began last Friday.