18 Pinoys in Shanghai test positive for COVID-19

Eighteen Filipinos in Shanghai, China, have tested positive for COVID-19, Unang Balita reported on Thursday, citing Philippine Consul General Josel Ignacio.

Five of the 18 have already been discharged from the hospital.

The report said only Shanghai authorities have access to the patients.

Assistance, meanwhile, is given to all COVID-19 patients in Shanghai, both local and foreign.

Ignacio said some Filipinos in Shanghai have already expressed intention to  return to the Philippines but could not do so because of travel restrictions.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said the government may provide $200 or over P10,000 financial assistance to each overseas Filipino worker affected by the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai.

The eastern half of Shanghai earlier went into lockdown to curb the nation's biggest COVID-19 outbreak. Chinese authorities then said they would carry out a two-phased lockdown of the city of around 25 million people to carry out mass testing. —KBK, GMA News