OFW out of quarantine today

CEBU, Philippines – Regional health authorities will discharge today one of the three overseas Filipino workers from West Africa who were placed under a mandatory quarantine for Ebola virus.

Ebola regional spokesperson Dr. Dino Caing said the 21-day quarantine period officially ended yesterday. However, documentary requirements for the formal release and clearance have yet to be finished.

He stressed that the province and hometown of the person under investigation are strictly confidential.

“Tomorrow pa (discharge from quarantine) with doctor’s certificate of good health. Sorry, we can’t reveal his identity for privacy and to avoid the stigma in his community,” Caing told The Freeman.

The certificate of completion of quarantine is needed so that the mining supervisor from Central Visayas, who works in a British-owned mining firm in Sierra Leone, will be cleared of any infection of the dreaded disease.

The 62 years old OFW was supposed to take a three-week vacation in his home in time for Christmas but has spent 21 days in Sierra Leone, West Africa and just completed another 21 days in Cebu as part of mandatory quarantine to prevent possible spread of Ebola virus which is on outbreak status in West Africa.

Caing earlier said both Department of Health and Department of Foreign Affairs are assisting the male OFW in coordinating with his employer in Sierra Leone.

On the other hand, the other two OFWs working as accountants in Liberia, West Africa will be forced to spend both Christmas and New Year inside the secured government facility as they have yet to complete their 21 days mandatory quarantine that started December 16.

All three OFWs do not display any of the symptoms of the deadly Ebola virus which primarily include fever, cough and colds.

Since Sunday, December 21, DOH has been under code white in preparation for possible medical emergencies related to the holiday season while also on the lookout for Ebola threat.

Records at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration show that of the Moore than 3,000 Filipinos documented to be working in West Africa, 16 are from Central Visayas. — /FPL (FREEMAN)