CIDG receives initial list of plane passengers where two Chinese who had nCoV were onboard

February 5, 2020

The Philippine National Police- Criminal investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Wednesday said they received the initial list of passengers on flights where the two Chinese who later tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus were also onboard.

In an interview with reporters, CIDG chief Police Major General Joel Napoleon Coronel said there are a total of 331 passengers on three different flights taken by the nCoV victims.

“There is already a list of passengers initially provided by the airlines last night and based on that list we are going to contact them initially'', Coronel said.

“I understand out of the 331 (passengers) more than 50 have been accounted for and contacted and the remaining 270 plus we'll have to manually and individually check on them if needed,” he said.

Coronel said they will be setting up a multi-agency task force not just only by CIDG.

“We are working closely with the PNP Health Service, Aviation Security Group, Anti-Cybercrime Group and also we will be getting assistance from the Department of Health in physically locating and confronting the passengers and asking them to undergo medical examination,” he said.

He said personnel from CIDG Region 7 with Central Visayas police will start contacting passengers from Hong Kong- Cebu flight then Cebu- Dumaguete to Dumaguete- Manila.

“Hopefully in 48 hours we will do our best to locate and contact them individually… The whole of Region 7 and together with PRO 7 will provide with personnel. As much as possible we will maximize the personnel needed,” he said.Ella Dionisio/DMS

Asked how they will implement the order, Coronel said they will call the passengers first to inform them that a NCoV positive patient were onboard the flights they took last January.

“There is a certain protocol and checklist given to us by DOH which we need to coordinate individually with the passengers and inform them that they are being located and we need to trace their whereabouts,” he said.

If needed, they will go to the passenger’s house to find out their conditions.

“In case they will not go with us then we have to notify DOH in particular and probably even the local government units concerned to assist us to probably isolate them and as mentioned to quarantine them if needed. So we leave it up to the DOH or other health officials how to deal with that,” he said.

“If they experiencing cough, fever, sore throat or cold, they should consult their doctor or DOH and if needed, they can impose self-quarantine. They should do something to prevent the virus from spreading,” Coronel added.

Those who will not show any symptoms still need to be accounted.

Coronel assured the public they will not be arrested and hoping for their cooperation.

If ever they will not be finished on locating and tracing the remaining passengers within 48 hours, the CIDG chief said they will just continue on doing their job.

“We will probably have to continue beyond 48 hours. The objective here is to account for each and every person who were present on those flights,” Coronel said.

He cannot disclose for now how many foreigners were included in the list as they still have to review it.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ferchito Avelino, officer-in-charge of the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau said it is important to determine the condition of the passenger during the last 14 days.

“And that will be our basis on what to do next,” Avelino said.

He said the DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit will find a way on how to transport those passengers who showed symptoms and will choose home quarantine for their laboratory work.

Families of the passengers will be considered as contact, according to Avelino.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during Senate hearing said they will coordinate with the PNP in conducting contact tracing with passengers onboard the same flight of the two NCoV confirmed patients. Ella Dionisio/DMS