Filipino seaman with India coronavirus variant dies
MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino seafarer who earlier tested positive for the coronavirus variant first discovered in India has died, the Department of Health said Monday.
In a briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the male seafarer, a crew member of M/V Athens Bridge, died last week.
He had been confined in a Metro Manila hospital, along with other three crew members.
“Three are recovering. They are in stable condition,” Vergeire said in Filipino.
A total of nine crew members of M/V Athens Bridge were found to have the B.1.617 variant, or the one that was first detected in India. Five of the seafarers have recovered from the disease.
Early in May, Philippine authorities received a request from the captain of M/V Athens Bridge to execute a medical evacuation. The vessel, which was carrying 21 Filipino crew members, had travel history to India, which is fighting a devastating COVID-19 wave.
Meanwhile, two other cases of the B.1.617 variant in the Philippines have recovered, while one is currently under monitoring.
The B.1.617 was first detected in India last year and has been blamed for the virus surge in the South Asian nation.
The World Health Organization classified the variant as being “of concern.” It has spread to at least 43 countries.
In a bid to arrest the entry of the B.1.617 variant, the government will impose a ban on passengers coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman and the United Arab Emirates until May 31.
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