Philippine embassy reports first Filipino COVID-19 case in Korea

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul on Friday reported the first confirmed coronavirus case involving a Filipino national in South Korea.

In a statement, the embassy said the Filipino, who lives and works at Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, traveled to Geneva, Switzerland from March 7 to 12 before exhibiting symptoms. He arrived in South Korea on March 16.

"He was tested at a hospital in South Korea on 19 March, and was confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 on 20 March," the embassy said.

Philippine officials in Seoul are in close coordination with the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities, adding it will assist the COVID-19-positive Filipino national as needed.

"Local health authorities are currently conducting contact and route tracing. They are also testing people who were in close contact with the patient, and have already disinfected the patient’s residence," the embassy said.

The Philippine Department of Health said more than 120 Filipinos across the world had been infected with COVID-19. —NB, GMA News