The head of the Parañaque City Health Office says Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) have agreed to implement heightened health and safety measures, including access for regular inspections by local authorities, following the death of a 44-year-old Chinese national on Sunday – the first death from the infection outside of mainland China.
Dr Olga Virtucio revealed on Monday that the nation’s POGOs have promised to cooperate with local health offices in establishing preventive measures against the disease, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
The measures are mainly aimed at providing information and education on the disease and its prevention, Virtucio added, while intensifying inspections of POGO offices where the majority of workers are sourced from mainland China.
“These are not trained personnel, not necessarily health personnel, so we have to guide them accordingly at the local level,” she said.
“All of these will be put in place to make sure that our big establishments, these POGO establishments, will be properly informed. It is really information and education that will be very important at this time.”
As of Monday, the Philippines had tested 80 people for possible Coronavirus infection, with two confirmed positives, 30 negative and 48 still pending.
