Filipinos in Congo advised to remain cautious amid ebola outbreak

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi advised Filipinos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to “remain cautious and observe health safety precautions at all times” in view of the ebola outbreak in the central African country.

In a statement on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine government is closely monitoring the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the DRC.

It noted that the World Health Organization “has declared the EVD as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and has recommended the implementation of heightened health measures in the DRC, which remains the only affected country in the region.”

The Associated Press recently reported that 1,700 people have died nearly one year since the outbreak.

READ: Too many in Congo’s Ebola outbreak are dying at home 

The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, which has jurisdiction over the DRC, urged the Filipino community there to always exercise caution and observe health safety precautions.

Based on the latest data from the DFA, there are 142 Filipinos in the DRC.

The DFA, likewise, said that concerned government agencies such as the Department of Health and its Bureau of Quarantine, the Bureau of Immigration, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration “remain vigilant in monitoring developments on the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.” /jpv