MANILA (REUTERS) - The Philippines is pulling out almost 3,500 workers from three West African states due to the Ebola outbreak, the foreign ministry said on Sunday, a day after Filipino troops in Liberia were ordered to go home.
"We are preparing for the implementation of mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in view of the threat posed by Ebola," Mr Charles Jose, a foreign ministry spokesman, said in a text message to reporters.
There are 1,979 workers in Sierra Leone, 880 in Guinea and 632 in Liberia, including 148 soldiers deployed with a UN peacekeeping force, the ministry said.
On Saturday, the defence ministry announced it was recalling all soldiers deployed in Liberia.