DFA reports an increase in COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday, November 3, noted a spike in the number of Filipinos abroad who have contracted the coronavirus, recording an additional 119 infections.

This brings the official case count to 11,364.

It also logged 75 new recoveries, which raises the total tally to 7,354.

“Today, the DFA reports an increase both in the total number of confirmed cases and recoveries from COVID-19 among Filipinos abroad, with 119 and 75 cases, respectively, from Europe, and the Middle East and Africa,” the DFA said.

“The reported increases are due to belated reports and privacy concerns in several countries in the Middle East and Africa,” it added.

Meanwhile, 11 new fatalities were recorded by the agency, raising the death toll to 828.
Overall by region, Europe – which comprises 19 countries – has recorded 1,245 Filipino cases, including 183 undergoing treatment, 965 recoveries and 97 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 32 countries, has reported 7,492 cases; of which, 2,332 are undergoing treatment, 543 deaths and 4,617 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 20 countries, has 1,811 cases, with 511 undergoing treatment, 1,291 recoveries, and nine deaths.

The Americas – covering 10 countries like the United States – have 816 reported cases, with 156 undergoing treatment, 481 recoveries, and 179 deaths.

“To date, the Middle East and Africa remains to be the region with the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, recoveries, under treatment, and fatalities among our nationals,” the DFA said.

“The Americas has the least numbers in all categories compared to other geographic regions, except in the total number of deaths, wherein Asia and the Pacific ranks lowest with a total of only 9,” the agency added.

The DFA also announced that it brought home 37,095 overseas Filipinos in October, bringing the total number of Filipinos it has repatriated to 237,363 since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the total figure, 77,326 Filipinos are sea-based, while 160,037 are land-based.
“As we sustain our repatriation efforts in the last two months of the year, the DFA remains fully committed to bringing home our kababayan, whatever challenges we may face,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said.