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MANILA: The Philippines will ban travelers from 19 countries and territories until mid-January as a measure to prevent a new variant of the coronavirus, its Ministry of Transportation said on Tuesday (December 29).
The regulation will take effect from midnight December 29 to January 15 and covers Filipinos and foreigners arriving from “marked countries,” the Transportation Ministry told reporters in a group text message.
READ: Comment: The Philippines is still struggling to control COVID-19
The Philippines previously imposed and later extended a ban on flights from Britain until mid-January when the most contagious variant of the COVID-19 virus was first detected in England.
The new variant, which British scientists have called VUI – 202012/01, has renewed fears about the virus that has killed more than 1.7 million people around the world.
The countries marked include France, Australia, Canada, Germany, South Africa, Singapore, and Japan.
With more than 470,000 infections and 9,124 deaths, the Philippines has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases and victims in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia.
The new variant has not been detected in the Philippines.
Philippine health officials said the travel ban could be expanded to include more countries should they report the presence of the new COVID-19 variant.
READ: The Philippines extends partial COVID-19 restrictions in Manila until January 31
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday extended partial coronavirus restrictions in the capital Manila until the end of January to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after the Christmas and holiday festivities.
The capital region, which accounts for 40 percent of the country’s economic output and is home to at least 12 million people, remains the hotspot for COVID-19 in the Philippines, which has the second-highest number of infections and deaths in Southeast Asia.
In a national address, Duterte placed the capital region, his hometown, Davao City, and eight other areas under partial quarantine measures for the entirety of January. Less strict restrictions will apply in the rest of the country.
“Stay home if it’s really possible, if you can. It’s for your own good,” Duterte said.
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