Coronavirus in UAE: Philippines government official apologises to Dubai over death claim

The Department of Labour and Employment in the Republic of Philippines on February 7, clarified the death of OFW Amalia Collado Daproza in Al Zahra Hospital in the United Arab Emirates was not a case of nCoV as earlier reported.

The Philippine Labour Secretary apologises to the Government of #Dubai for the confusion caused after he mistakenly claimed a Filipina died in Dubai due to the coronavirus, and refers to @DXBMediaOffice confirmation that she tested negative for the virushttps://t.co/zKWZ1R2LmQ

- Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 8, 2020

Read on: Coronavirus did not kill Filipina in Dubai: Media office

Based on a belated report received by the office of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III from the Philippine Labor Office in Dubai, results of confirmatory tests conducted by the Pathology and Genetics Department of the Dubai Health Authority on Daproza's specimen yielded negative of the novel coronavirus.

The Labor Secretary on Thursday, February 6, announced that the OFW had died of "coronavirus" based on an earlier information provided his office. The secretary, however, did not say it was the novel coronavirus.

Secretary Bello nonetheless wishes to apologize to the government of Dubai for the confusion and whatever anxiety that the announcement may have caused.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com