MANILA, Philippines – Another Filipino in Hong Kong contracted the novel coronavirus called COVID-19, bringing to 5 the number of Filipinos in the city infected with the virus. 

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Brigido Dulay confirmed this in a tweet posted Tuesday night, March 10, citing information from the Philippine consulate in the Special Administrative Region. 

Dulay said the worker was asymptomatic and was currently confined in a quarantine facility.   

Another 4 Filipinos in the city earlier tested positive for the coronavirus after contracting the disease from their employers. The confirmed cases include one who has already recovered and been discharged. 

The other 3 cases were still confined in the hospital. 

At least 97 Filipinos outside the Philippines have contracted the virus since the outbreak began. This included the 5 cases in Hong Kong, 80 from a cruise ship docked in Japan, 3 in Singapore, 6 from a cruise ship in docked in the United States, 2 in the United Arab Emirates, and 2 in Lebanon.

As of Tuesday, the Philippines has recorded 33 confirmed cases of coronavirus. The confirmed cases included two patients who were in “very critical condition” and the first death outside China – a Chinese tourist from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Worldwide, the death toll has exceeded 4,000, while more than 111,000 people have been infected in over 100 countries. – Rappler.com