Pinoy seafarer with Ebola symptoms cleared

A Filipino seafarer suspected to have contracted the Ebola virus has been cleared by Greek health authorities, a Business Recorder report said.

Confirming this, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the seaman was suffering from malaria and complications of the liver.

"Per our Embassy in Athens, they were informed by the manager of Greek-flagged carrier Magda that the Filipino seaman was diagnosed to be suffering from malaria and complications of the liver," DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said in a text message.

"The doctor ruled out possibility of Ebola. The seaman is currently confined in a Greek private hospital. DFA and embassy will continue to monitor the condition of the Filseaman," he added.

The Business Recorder report quoted Greece's center for disease prevention as saying that upon examination, “it was determined that he (Filipino seafarer) was not carrying the virus.”

Greece has so far not had any cases of the dreaded virus, which has killed over 5,000 in West Africa, particularly in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

A separate report on Global Post said the unidentified seaman was attended to by doctors aboard the Magda P., a Greek-owned bulk carrier carrying 14 Filipino and 10 Greek crewmembers.

Magda P. was on its way to Ukraine from Guinea when the ship, owned by Greek shipping company Common Progress, dropped anchor off the port of Athens to examine a crewmember reportedly showing possible symptoms of Ebola.

Citing an unnamed source, the report said the affected sailor was Filipino. —Rie Takumi with a report from Michaela Del Callar/KBK/NB, GMA News

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