Two Filipino workers in India have died of COVID-19, as the South Asian nation continued to battle an unprecedented surges that made it the world's new pandemic epicenter, Manila's envoy said.
The Filipino workers' employers are taking care of their remains and waiting for the right time to bring them home, Philippine Ambassador to India Ramon Bagatsing Jr. told CNN Philippines.
"Unfotunately we were notified last April 23 na itong dalawang kababayan natin ay nasawi because of COVID. They were both in the middle management position," he said.
Out of more than 2,000 Filipinos in India, 73 tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of them experience mild to moderate symptoms, Bagatsing said. Some 20% of Filipinos there are OFWs, he said.
The Philippine embassy is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila for repatriation flights. About 60 Filipinos expressed intent to fly back home as soon as the travel restrictions in India and the Philippines are lifted. Travelers from India are banned from entering the Philippines until May 14 due to reports of rising infections.
"Maganda naman po ang sabi ng DFA that whatever assistance they can provide us -- medical, funding, etc. -- they will do so. We're just waiting for the mechanics and details on how we can implement it."
The South Asian giant, home to 1.3 billion people, continues to battle record-breaking COVID-19 infections, with 370,000 fresh cases as well as 3,400 deaths tallied in 24 hours on Monday.
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