DOLE: No MERS-CoV cases among OFWs in 2nd quarter

No overseas Filipino worker was infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) at least in the second quarter of 2014, the Department of Labor and Employment said Wednesday.

DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said this was the gist of reports from the 33 Philippine Overseas Labor Offices worldwide, compiled by the International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB).

In a statement, Baldoz said the ILAB report “says no OFW deployed overseas has been afflicted with the viral respiratory illness, MERS-CoV.”

The report, prepared by ILAB director Saul de Vries, said the 33 POLOs recorded 26,621 OFWs returning to the country from April to June, and none was afflicted with MERS-CoV.

Earlier this year, an OFW from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and another one from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates had died after being afflicted with the disease.

Coordination

Baldoz credited the coordination by the DOLE to protect OFWs from MERS-CoV.

She said the DOLE worked with the Department of Health and the Bureau of Immigration to trace OFW passengers of Etihad Flight 0424, which arrived in Manila from Abu Dhabi.

That flight had been reported to have an OFW afflicted with the virus.

"Through inter-agency collaboration, 404 of the 414 passengers were located and tested. Everyone showed no trace of the deadly virus,” Baldoz said.

As a preventive measure, the DOLE adopted a daily monitoring system where all POLOs were to submit information on returning OFWs to the Philippines and on overseas employment certificates (OECs) issued at the posts since March 2014.

It also sent advisories on precautionary measures on how to prevent the spread of the virus. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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