Isang Pinay at taga-Cagayan Valley ang tinutukoy na domestic helper na unang nahawaan ng bagong coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variant sa Hong Kong, ayon sa Department of Health (DOH).

“Yes, the Hong Kong case is a Filipina domestic helper,” pahayag ni DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire sa mga mamamahayag kahapon.

Nilinaw nito na 30-anyos lamang ang nasabing Pinay na umalis ng Cagayan Valley nitong Disyembre 17 ng nakaraang taon, batay na rin aniya sa natanggap nilang report ng Hong Kong International Health Regulations National Focal Point at ng DOH Centers for Health Development.

Dumating aniya sa Metro Manila ang DH kinabukasan, Disyembre 18 at kaagad na sumailalim sa quarantine alinsunod na rin sa kanilang workplace protocol.

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“She was tested for COVID-19 using the RT-PCR method on December 19 and “yielded a negative result.” The case left for Hong Kong on December 22, 2020 where she underwent quarantine upon arrival. On January 2, 2021, she underwent RT-PCR testing again where the swabs tested positive and detected to also be positive for the UK variant. She remains in isolation and in stable condition,” pahayag ng DOH.

Ipinaliwanag DOH na nagsasagawa na sila ng contact tracing sa mga kasamahang pasahero ng nasabing Pinay. Nitong Miyerkules, inihayag ni Vergeire na ang nabanggit na DH ay sumakay sa Philippine Airlines Flight PR300 patungong Hong Kong, kasama ang 40 pang pasahero.

“Contact tracing efforts are underway. The flight manifest has been obtained and the tracing of passengers is being conducted while we await updates on the contact tracing efforts done in Hong Kong. There is also ongoing contact tracing by the concerned epidemiology and surveillance units in Cagayan Valley Region and NCR (National Capital Region),” pahayag ng DOH.

“They have been instructed to ensure strict quarantine of identified close contacts and for samples collected from said contacts to be sent for confirmatory testing, and, if samples test positive, subsequent whole genome sequencing,” dagdag pa ng opisyal.