Philippines to investigate virus outbreaks among seafarers

MANILA: The Philippines is investigating COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreaks on ships that changed crews in Manila, after several sick crew members have arrived in Australia recently.

Transportation Assistant Secretary for Communication Goddess Libiran said on Sunday that the department’s security administration is organising a panel for an inter-agency investigation.

The probe comes after at least nine infections were recorded among crews of the Vega Dream and the Patricia Oldendorff that recently arrived from the Philippines in the state of Western Australia.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Narciso Vingson said in a statement that stricter protocols in crew-change hubs may be put in place, depending on the result of the probe.

Vingson said the infections may have occurred before the government standardized testing in a new facility it opened in Manila’s port last month for arriving and departing Filipino seafarers. Before that, manning agencies were

“operating on their own and maybe lacking in monitoring,” Vingson said.

The Philippines supplies about a quarter of the world’s merchant marine workforce.

The Western Australian state government last week raised concern over outbreaks aboard bulk carriers and asked the federal government for assistance to ensure no more infected crews arrive from Manila.

Some Filipino seafarers who have tested negative before boarding the vessels have tested positive upon arrival in WA ports.

On Saturday, Western Australia reported two new COVID-19 diagnoses of crew members on separate bulk carriers from the Philippines.

Vessels had been diverting to the Philippines to facilitate crew adjustments after the pandemic closed borders and restricted flights.

The transportation department on Saturday announced the activation of crew change hub at the Port of Cebu in central Philippines for arriving and departing seafarers.

— dpa