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BI says passengers from South Africa, six others banned entry due to Omicron COVID-19

Philippines | National

BI says passengers from South Africa, six others banned entry due to Omicron COVID-19

By Jun Ramirez

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it will implement the recent directive from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to ban travelers coming from South Africa, Botswana, and and six other countries in a bid to stop the entry of the coronavirus (Covid-19) Omicron variant.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that those coming from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique will temporarily be barred entry starting today (Nov. 28)

“Those with a travel history from these countries within the last 14 days will likewise be disallowed entry,” the BI chief said.

The announcement follows the approval of the IATF on the suspension of inbound international flights from said countries with local cases of fast transmittable Omicron variant.

Morente clarified that the ban on Faroe Islands and the Netherlands remain in place until December 15, after which the IATF will decide whether to extend or lift it.

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