MANILA, Philippines — A community of Chinese nationals in the country has “backed out” on its promise to cremate the body of their 44-year-old compatriot who died February 1 in Manila due to severe pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD).

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Health Secretary Francisco Duque disclosed this Tuesday, during a Senate hearing on the country’s readiness to deal with the threat of the 2019-nCoV.

Duque said the Department of Health (DOH) has been coordinating with the Chinese embassy on the disposal of the body of the Chinese man who was recorded as the first 2019-nCoV death in the Philippines and outside China.

“The first groups that we were able to contact initially agreed and this is within the community of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce who initially said they will cremate and put the ash in the whatever crematory that they have,” Duque told senators.

“Unfortunately they backed out so now we are talking with a funeral parlor that has agreed to do that today. I just have to get the update whether in fact the body of this Chinese national has been cremated,” he added.

Nevertheless, Duque assured that once a patient who tested positive for the 2019-nCoV has died, that body also ceases as a carrier of the virus.

He also assured that the body of the Chinese man is properly sealed in a body bag while awaiting cremation.

Asked about what he thinks could be the reason for the group to take back its earlier promise, Duque cited the group’s “own mindset.”

“They have their own mindset. That’s the problem with them. Sabi ko nga pambihira naman (I said that’s incredible), you are fellow Chinese. Dapat ipakita ninyo na susuportahan ninyo (You should show your support),” he said.

“But I don’t know. I have to get the full story behind but it’s very unfortunate to hear stories like this because it’s this time when they should in fact express more sense of patriotism for their fellow Chinese nationals, I don’t know. It’s difficult to understand,” he added.

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China’s health authorities earlier advised that cadavers of those who died from the new coronavirus should be immediately cremated. They have also banned burials and funerals to avoid the spread of the virus.

The 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who died Saturday was the partner of the Philippines’ first confirmed 2019-ncoV case, the 38-year-old Chinese woman who was with him when they traveled to Cebu on January 21 then to Dumaguete on January 22 before flying to Manila on January 25.

Edited by KGA

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