MANILA, Philippines — Talks regarding a team of Chinese medical experts going to the Philippines are already underway, Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said Monday.
“Merong medical team na inihahanda para tumulong sa atin. That will be done soon kasi pinaguusapan na ‘yung details kung kailan makakapunta, kung sino sino,” Sta. Roman said in a televised public briefing.
(There is a medical team being readied to help us. That will be done soon. Details on when they are going and who are going are already being discussed.)
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier said that the Department of Health (DOH) allegedly blocked the entry of Chinese doctors in the country.
But DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III denied the claim, saying the agency is in fact waiting for the arrival of Chinese experts.
These Chinese experts, Duque said, will give their advice on how to address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in the country.
While the number of local cases in China has been falling over the past weeks, the number of imported cases remained in an upward trend.
In the Philippines, health officials have so far confirmed 1,418 COVID-19 cases, of which 71 have already died and 42 have recovered.