MANILA - Filipinos who will be repatriated from the virus-hit Hubei province in China will immediately be isolated and treated with "care and dignity" in facilities of the Athletes Village in New Clark City, the country's health chief on Thursday said.

Before isolation, repatriated Filipinos from Hubei will be screened by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) upon alighting the plane, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

Their luggage and vehicles used for transport will also be disinfected by the Center for Health and Development, CHD-Central Luzon, he added.

Asymptomatic Filipinos -- or repatriates showing no symptoms of the new coronavirus -- will be sent to quarantine in New Clark, while "OFWs with symptoms shall be admitted as patients under investigation or PUIs at identify-ready hospitals," said Duque.

Before arrival, returning Filipinos will be oriented on the procedure of their 14-day quarantine, and they must fill out health cards and other necessary documents.

One room will be allotted for a patient under quarantine. The room can also be used by a family of three.

Quarantined Filipinos will also have limited movement inside the building.

"Packed lunch will be served and prepared for them everyday within the facility," Duque said, assuring patients will be given "nice rooms."

He said DOH will be leading the quarantine process, and that hospitals under the agency, especially those nearby New Clark City, will be sending out medical teams.

Duque assured that they will be providing patients other necessities, such as safe transportation, hygiene kits and disinfectant solutions.

Upon completion of their 14-day quarantine, discharged patients will be facilitated by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said Duque.

"Rest assured, all our kababayans will be treated with utmost care and dignity as they go through all the process of repatriation," he said.

Duque said the repatriated Filipinos may arrive on Feb.8 or 9.

"We plan to bring back our fellow Filipinos here in the country as seamlessly and efficiently as possible," he said.

Nearly 50 Filipinos in Hubei were initially scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Saturday but DOH said earlier Thursday it wanted to push back the repatriation, as authorities then were thinking to use a not-yet-ready 10,000-bed facility in Nueva Ecija as quarantine.

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