BI locates, monitors movements of family of Hong Kong’s first suspected case of new coronavirus

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has tracked down the family of Hong Kong's first suspected case of novel coronavirus infection after they were said to have flown to the Philippines on Wednesday.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Thursday that the bureau has informed him they were "identifying this family from Wuhan and tracking their whereabouts in the country."

Minutes later, he said they have been located and their movements are being monitored.

The location was not immediately made available.

"We have identified the subjects, as well as extracted their address from our database," BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.

She said they are unable to share more details with the public and will be forwarding the information they have to the Bureau of Quarantine for monitoring.

Guevarra also said that should the Department of Health need assistance, he will order the BI and the National Bureau of Investigation to find the people the family have interacted with in the Philippines.

Hong Kong said its first suspected case of the novel coronavirus was a 39-year-old man who arrived in the city from Wuhan, China via high-speed railway.

The man was "preliminarily positive," according to Hong Kong's health secretary, but a final test result would reportedly be known Thursday. He has been isolated in a hospital.

Four family members had come with the man in traveling from Wuhan to Shenzhen and then to Hong Kong. The relatives reportedly showed no symptoms and were allowed to leave for the Philippines.

They boarded a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Manila. 

The airline, meanwhile, said all passengers and crew of that flight were screened and none were held for further observation. Still, Cebu Pacific advised the passengers to "immediately seek medical attention should they exhibit flu-like symptoms including runny nose, cough, sore throat or fever."

Originating from Wuhan, the new coronavirus has been detected in the United States, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Macau. Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said much is unknown about the virus and advised the public to observe personal hygiene to minimize the risk of exposure.

A Chinese child in Cebu is recovering from flu-like symptoms and tested negative for SARS and MERS. Health authorities are still waiting for confirmatory test results from Australia.

Three Chinese nationals were quarantined in Kalibo, Aklan but were later cleared to just have been down with the flu. — RSJ/BM, GMA News