POEA advises Filipinos abroad on nCoV precautions

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has advised Filipinos working or residing in Singapore, South Korea, and Macau to follow the precautionary measures issued by their respective local health authorities against the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Filipinos are urged to avoid traveling to Wuhan, China, the origin of the nCoV outbreak.

The Macau government is closely monitoring its borders for possible cases linked to the pneumonia infections in Wuhan.

Key recommendations include consistent handwashing, practicing proper cough etiquette, avoiding crowded places and hospitals, and wearing face masks when necessary.

International travelers are advised to avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.

The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the risk of the outbreak to be very high in China, high at the regional level, and moderate at the global level.

The new nCoV has caused over a hundred deaths and affected thousands in China, with confirmed cases also reported in Thailand, Hong Kong, the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, France, Vietnam, Canada, Germany, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

The Department of Health (DOH) maintains that there are no recorded cases of the 2019-nCoV in the Philippines.