The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) today confirmed a Filipina nurse who returned from Saudi Arabia last week has tested positive for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) virus.

The nurse reached the Philippines last Friday via Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV870, Xinhua news agency reported.

She stayed with another nurse in northern province of Bulacan before boarding Cebu Pacific flight SJ 997 to General Santos City in southern Philippines on Aug 31.

Both nurses who returned to the Philippines together were earlier tested for the virus in Saudi Arabia but did not wait for the results.

“The two were working in the same hospital in Dammam and they were tested there. Yesterday, they were informed by their supervisor that one of them was positive (for Mers),” said Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

The infected nurse, whose identity was not disclosed, has been placed in  isolation at the Southern Philippines Medical Centre.

Throat swab samples have been collected from the nurse and results of further analysis are expected to be known later today.

The DOH is now attempting to contact other passengers of the Saudi Arabian and Cebu Pacific flights.

- Bernama