Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Wednesday said its passenger who was detected with the new variant of COVID-19 in Hong Kong presented a negative PCR test results before flight.
The airline stressed in a statement that they strictly adhere to the set of protocols required by the Philippine government to ensure safe.
Meanwhile, PAL said it has already turned over to the Philippine Bureau of Quarantine the flight manifesto to enable them to conduct contact tracing procedures.
“Philippine Airlines has turned over to the Philippine Bureau of Quarantine the necessary information that will enable them to carry out the contact tracing procedures on passengers of the said PAL flight,” the airline said.
On Tuesday, Hong Kong health authorities said they have detected the presence of the new coronavirus variant from a 30-year old female resident (name and nationality withheld), who arrived from Manila last December 22.
In a press briefing, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of Hong Kong’s health department announced that they have detected four new cases of the UK variant and one of them is from Manila who arrived via Flight PR 300. The patient is tagged as case 9003.
“9003 took PR 300 and arrived in Hong Kong on the 22nd of December from Philippines,” the official said.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are now looking into the International Health Regulations focal point of Hong Kong for further details.
The new variant from the United Kingdom is believed to be more transmissible.
