Six out of eleven Filipinos who contracted coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in France have died, the Philippine ambassador to France revealed on Wednesday.
“Ang aming impormasyon na natanggap, mga 11 [ang positibo sa COVID-19], anim dito ay nasawi at ang iba naman po ay naapektuhan ng COVID-19 but marami po sa kanila ay slowly recovering,” Philippine Ambassador to Paris Maria Theresa Lazaro said during the Laging Handa press briefing.
Lazaro said there are 25,000 Filipinos in France, majority of which are working in the service industry.
France has been placed under lockdown since March 17 and the measure was extended until May 11 by French President Emmanuel Macron, GMA News reported.
“As of yesterday po, 16,000 na po ang namatay rito sa France, kaya mahigpit po talaga ang lockdown [implementation] rito, kaya iyong iba nating kababayan hindi muna nakakapagtrabaho,” she stressed.
The France is struggling to combat the dreaded disease which has infected 103,573 people.
“Hospitals are overwhelmed, filled with people stricken with the disease. They’re even sending some of the patients either in Germany or Switzerland,” Lazaro said.
The envoy advised Filipinos who contracted the disease and remain asymptomatic to stay in their homes and observe self-quarantine for 14 to 21 days while those manifesting symptoms must contact the emergency hotline for immediate medical attention.
Meanwhile, Lazaro said the embassy is coordinating for the with the POLO office in Madrid, Spain for the repatriation of 955 sea-based overseas Filipino workers from three cruise ships docked in France.
READ MORE: Makati Med doctor dies amid fight against COVID-19