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9 Pinoy crew members on board ship off Australia test positive for COVID-19 —reports
The Department of Health Western Australia (WA) reported a total of nine COVID-19 cases on a cargo ship off Port Headland with all-Filipino crew members, according to reports.
On Monday, Nine News reported that the ship Patricia Oldendorff came from the Philippines. A separate report on Seven News
on Saturday said 20 Filipino nationals and the captain were on board.“The Department of Health has reported seven new cases of COVID-19 in Western Australia overnight related to the Patricia Oldendorff vessel,” Department of Health WA said in a press release
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“These are the seven cases publicly announced yesterday. The total number of cases associated with the vessel today remains at nine, with seven still aboard the vessel,” it added.
According to Seven News, the seven Pinoy seafarers who have tested positive have to remain aboard as they were part of a nine-man skeleton crew to keep the vessel operational.
The other two positive cases have been evacuated to a hotel in Port Hedland with some of the crew members, the report added.
On Monday, more positive test results are expected among the crew both on board and those already in the hotel, according to Nine News.
Quoting WA Health minister Roger Cook, the report said the infected Filipino seafarers are either non-symptomatic or have very few symptoms.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Assistant Secretary Ed Meñez told GMA News Online that the Philippine Embassy in Australia will have the report verified. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News