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MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Department of Foreign Affairs has monitored more overseas Filipino workers with Influenza A(H1N1), prompting DFA spokesman Ed Malaya to remind them to be more careful.
On Wednesday, the DFA ordered the Philippine embassy in Riyadh to check on the condition of two Filipino nurses in Saudi Arabia who tested positive for the Influenza A(H1N1) virus and extend assistance to them.
A Filipino nurse at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh was the first case of H1N1 infection in the kingdom on June 3. She was diagnosed about a week after she returned from vacation in the Philippines but has since recovered.
The second Filipina nurse who tested positive for the virus arrived at Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport via Cathay Pacific Flight 733 on June 13. She is being treated at King Fahd Medical City National Guard Hospital.
In Singapore, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed four Filipinos afflicted with the virus, including a member of the Philippine football delegation to the Asian Youth Games. A total of 54 Filipinos have also been quarantined in Singapore, as of June 24.
In Kuala Lumpur, a Filipino was one of five new cases and the 13th case in Malaysia, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 23.
The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur said the Malaysian government announced that all visitors and Malaysians returning from abroad would be required to fill the health declaration form following the pandemic.
In Macau, the Philippine consulate general reported that the first positive case of the H1N1 flu virus there was a Filipino.
The consulate said that 16 other Filipinos who were exposed to the Filipino with the virus were placed under close observation, although none of them have shown any symptoms of flu infection.
In Hong Kong, a Filipina tourist was added to the four confirmed cases of Filipinos with influenza by Hong Kong authorities.
The consulate general in Hong Kong reminded Filipinos there to always take good care of their health and follow precautionary measures suggested by the Hong Kong government.
In Qatar, two Filipinos were among its 14 confirmed cases. The Philippine embassy in Doha said the patients were provided with anti-viral medicines and were said to be in good condition.
In Shanghai, Filipinos suspected of having contracted the virus have been released from quarantine following negative test results for the H1N1 flu.
Malaya said Filipino health and medical workers, particularly doctors and nurses overseas, should “take extra caution in taking care of themselves as they take care of others.”
“The health workers are particularly more exposed to the virus as they are treating patients,” Malaya told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview.
“So we’ve asked Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh Antonio Villamor as well as other posts to always remind our health workers to take extra caution,” he added.
