12 COVID infected Filipino crew from Indonesia under quarantine

MANILA: Twelve members of a tugboat and a barge that sailed to Indonesia at the height of the coronavirus ( COVID 19) pandemic to ferry coal and bring the shipment back to the Philippines have tested positive for the dreaded disease and have now been placed in a “quarantine anchorage” off Albay province in the Bicol Region.

This was revealed by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire who said the 12 infected patients were part of a 20-man Filipino crew of the vessels, identified as M/V Tug Clyde and Barge Claudia, which arrived in Albay on Tuesday from Indonesia.

Vergeire told a media briefing that the 12 were confirmed to be COVID infected ater they underwent the mandatory swab tests following their arrival in Butuan City in Mindanao. She added, however, the eight remaining crewmen tested negative.

Vergeire also disclosed that one of the 12 infected sailors defied strict orders from his superiors and sneaked out while their vessel was moored in Butuan but officials succeeded in tracing him to his family.

She also disclosed that tracing the infected sailor was a story in itself. She said concerned officials and the police succeeded in tracing the driver of a passenger jeepney and his helper contracted by the sailor to bring him to his house where he was later quarantined along with his family.

“They are now isolated on their vessel off Albay and being guarded by members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG),” Vergeire said. “No one is allowed to either disembark or board the vessel.”

She explained health and other experts as well as local officials rejected the plan to allow the vessel to moor at a private port in the town of Santo Domingo, Albay and instead ordered that it be placed on “quarantine anchorage” for 14 days off Albay.

According to Vergeire, the move would enable health experts to determine whether the 12 crewmen were infected by the deadly and highly transmissible COVID 19 Delta variant now wreaking havoc in Indonesia.