5 new COVID-19 cases, 4 recoveries, no deaths among Filipinos abroad
By Roy Mabasa
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, Oct. 2, said it has received reports of five new COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases, four new recoveries, and no new fatality among Filipinos abroad.
According to the DFA, the reports of new cases and new recoveries came from its foreign service posts in Asia and the Pacific and Africa, regions.
It also noted an increase in the number of countries and regions with confirmed cases among Filipinos now at 79, after the receipt of a new COVID-19 report from a country in Africa.
To date, the total number of COVID-19 cases involving overseas Filipinos is 10,544. Of the total, 3,002 are undergoing treatment, 6.749 have recovered and 793 died due to coronavirus infections.
The Middle East and Africa remain as the combined regions with the most number of COVID-19 infections among Filipinos with 7,100, followed by Asia and the Pacific, 1,435; Europe, 1,199, and the Americas, 810.
“The DFA personnel in foreign service posts remain steadfast in partnering with local health authorities and agencies to ensure the Filipinos' awareness and adherence to preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic, and commit to tirelessly attending to the needs of our people affected by this pandemic, whenever possible,” the department said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the foreign affairs office is advising travelers to Iraq, particularly personnel of international organizations (IOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) with humanitarian projects or speaking engagements in Iraq, to postpone their scheduled travel.
The DFA’s advisory came as the COVID-19 situation in Iraq has reportedly reached an alarming point last week as close to 4,000 new cases are being reported almost every day with around 500 deaths a week.
However, those who have planned trips that can no longer be postponed are reminded to check if there are active curfews currently imposed in their destination province in Iraq.
Moreover, the DFA urged travelers to avoid booking flights with early morning hour or late night hour arrivals in Baghdad, Basra, and other airports in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.