Philippine consul-general in Hong Kong Raly Tejada told The Standard that out of the 41, "28 sought help from us as they had been waiting for too long for an isolation facility from the Hong Kong government. Out of the 28, we were able to endorse 23 to an isolation facility while the five others were able to return to their respective employers."

Charitable groups had been scrambling for places to put up to 30 terminated workers forced to sleep in parks or out on streets in cold and wet weather since Friday.

Edwina Antonio-Santoyo, executive director of Bethune House Migrant Women's Refuge, part of the Mission for Migrant Workers, urged destitute workers to call its hotline on 9338-0035.

One helper said she went to Tin Shui Wai Hospital's accident and emergency department on Friday after being fired for testing preliminary positive. She was only seen by a doctor the following morning.

"The mission had to send her money as she had not eaten the whole day," Santoyo said.

On Sunday night, Santoyo said six helpers stranded for two days at Hong Kong International Airport asked for help as they could not get on their flights home due to delays in the processing of their swab tests.

One was able to fly yesterday morning but of the five left, one tested positive. Volunteers had to rush to the airport Sunday to give the stranded five money to eat.

Another helper was left alone in a Tuen Mun flat by her pregnant employer with no supplies during her second week of isolation, so the mission scampered to send her food and necessities.