A sick Russian seaman onboard a cargo ship on its way to Australia was successfully transported to a waiting plane here in the City of Mati by the Covid-19 medical team from the Incident Management Team Tuesday morning.The 33-year old Russian was said to be suffering from high temperature and wet cough the past four days when examined by a physician while the ship was sailing along Luzon Strait.Mati’s IMT received the request for a medical evacuation (medivac) Sunday with the ship identified as Asphalt Transporter expected to arrive at the port of Mati on Tuesday, April 7.

City of Mati’s IMT Covid-19 readily prepared for the medivac and assigned a team to transport the Russian national to a waiting plane at the Mati airport that will fly directly to Metro Manila.IMT commander Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan said that Dr. Wilson Lim of the Bureau of Quarantine assisted by the Philippine Coast Guard has evaluated the patient and was leading the evacuation procedures.City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat has also ordered the Mati IMT to provide whatever support to the medivac team.Mati’s medivac team is composed of the team from the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and is highly capable of handling the evacuation.

The ship moored at the entrance of Pujada Bay and the patient was fetched by a Coast Guard speedboat and transported to the waiting ambulance at the Mati wharf.Considering that the foreign national is suffering from fever and wet cough, the medivac team have not taken any chances and treated the case as possible Covid-19 case.The patient is however walking by himself and seems to be doing well as shown in the photos during their arrival at the Mati wharf. The Russian patient was the one with the backpack.Catbagan said their medical team was on full PPE while handling the patient from the ship all the way to the plane. He said that immediately after the successful medivac, disinfection of their personnel, equipment, and vehicle were made.

Catbagan said they cannot deny the request for the medical evacuation since the City of Mati is the nearest port with an airstrip when the decision for a medivac was reached.Catbagan said a good Samaritan act can go a long way. As he assured Matinians that there is nothing to worry since the Russian patient is not a confirmed Covid-19 patient and that his team has taken all the necessary precautions. (CIO MATI)