3 Filipino sailors test negative for Covid-19 on ship at Mongla port

Three Filipino sailors on board a foreign ship, who were placed in isolation after they were found to be running fevers, have tested negative for coronavirus.

Activities to unload coal from the ship, MV Serenitas-N, began today after the results of the medical tests conducted on the three sailors came out, said Dr Sufia Khatun, health official at Mongla Port, our Bagerhat correspondent reports.

The ship arrived at the port via Chattogram on March 4 night with 24,000 tonnes of coal.

As per the rule, a medical team went aboard the ship on the same night and conducted tests on the sailors, during which three of them, all Philippines nationals, were found with fever above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the health official earlier said.

"They were kept in isolation in their cabins and placed under intensive monitoring. At present all three of them are in sound health. Hence we have given clearance to the ship authorities to begin goods unloading activities," she said.