Two Filipino nurses recover from MERS-Cov

TWO of four Filipino nurses in Saudi Arabia who have contracted the deadly Middle East Coronavirus (MERS-Cov) have already recovered, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The nurses – one male and one female – have been discharged from the hospital, DFA spokesman Charles Jose said.

The remaining two female nurses are still in the intensive care unit, but have shown signs of “improvement,” according to Jose.

“They can already communicate,” the DFA official said.

“The embassy is monitoring their situation and making sure they are getting proper treatment and they are in close coordination with their employers,” the official added.

Since 2013, a total of 10 Filipinos – eight from Saudi Arabia and two from the United Arab Emirates – have died from the virus.

The Philippines, however, is not imposing a travel ban to the Middle East even as it called on Filipino workers in the region to practice health precautions.

“Healthcare sector workers are advised to follow the infection prevention protocol in their hospital and to seek medical attention in case they experience any of the disease’s symptoms,” Jose said.

Earlier this year, a 32-year old Filipino nurse from Saudi Arabia also tested positive for the respiratory disease upon arriving in Manila.

But the Department of Health said there was a “low risk of infection” as the nurse showed no symptoms while on board the plane.

About 30 percent of the victims that contracted MERS-CoV, which was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, have died.