COVID-19 cases rise to 18 amongst SI students in the Phillippines

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare this afternoon announced that a total of 18 Solomon Islanders have now been tested positive for COVID-19 in the Philippines.

This means that new four cases have been recorded in the past days to add to the previously recorded 14 cases.

“We now have a total of 18 cases of confirmed cases of our students in the Philippines who are tested positive for COVID-19. However they are all well and are asymptomatic which means they are not sick. They are all been isolated in accordance with Philippines protocols,” he said this afternoon.

In his address, Sogavare said: “We are prepared to receive our students back into the country. As you have been made aware, the flight that was scheduled for yesterday Sunday 27^th September, have now been moved forward for Tomorrow, Tuesday 29^th September. As you all know the situation is very fluid. We must be able to adapt to the situation as it changes in order to keep our country and people safe.”

Nevertheless, he said, the front liners led by the health authority is well prepared following their mock exercise last week.

The exercise has tested our Standard Operating Procedures given a positive COVID-19 case is detected in one of the quarantine stations.

Philippines is regarded as a high risk country, and it is critical to ensure that should there be any possible entry of the virus, it can be effectively and safely contained with minimal risk of spreading. News@SBMOnline2020