DOH: Increasing number of COVID-19 cases in SoKor led to travel ban
Published Feb 26, 2020 12:00 am
By Analou De Vera
The Department of Health (DOH) announced Wednesday that Filipino tourists are temporarily not allowed to visit South Korea amid the threat of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) decided to impose the travel restriction on South Korea following the increasing number of COVID-19 cases there.
(AP photo/DOH/MANILA BULLETIN)
"Any travel to South Korea will be temporarily suspended. Only permanent residents of South Korea, Filipinos leaving for study, and OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) returning for work will be allowed provided that they sign a written declaration acknowledging the risks involved which will be complemented with a health advisory pamphlet," said the Health chief in a press briefing at the DOH-Central Office in Manila.
Meanwhile, foreign travelers coming from South Korea's North Gyeongsang province will be temporarily banned from entering the Philippines.
"Filipinos and their foreign spouses or children, and holders of permanent resident and diplomatic visas will be allowed entry subject to existing screening and quarantine protocols," Duque clarified.
Duque said the travel restriction will be reviewed and re-evaluated within the next 48 hours based on new developments.
"Everything is always under assessment. There will be a risk assessment and there will be other impact assessments that will be done for the next 48 hours. We will have to see what the results of the risk assessments will be will guide the IATF in either expanding the travel ban or keeping the status quo. Depending on what the developments are in South Korea," Duque said.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the members of the IATF will be studying whether or not to expand the scope of the travel restriction to other areas in South Korea aside from North Gyeongsang province.
"There is an assurance from the South Korean government that they will be able to contain the problem most of the cases are isolated in these two areas-- Daegu and Cheongdo County-- expand it to the whole province of North Gyeongsang," Nograles said.
"In the meantime, ‘yun lang muna because meron ng mga assurances na binigay ang (That's the coverage for the meantime because there is already an assurance from) South Korea that it is just clustered in that area and that they are containing the scare ."
READ MORE: PH bans travelers from SoKor’s North Gyeongsang; Pinoy tourists banned from going to Korea
(AP photo/DOH/MANILA BULLETIN)
"Any travel to South Korea will be temporarily suspended. Only permanent residents of South Korea, Filipinos leaving for study, and OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) returning for work will be allowed provided that they sign a written declaration acknowledging the risks involved which will be complemented with a health advisory pamphlet," said the Health chief in a press briefing at the DOH-Central Office in Manila.
Meanwhile, foreign travelers coming from South Korea's North Gyeongsang province will be temporarily banned from entering the Philippines.
"Filipinos and their foreign spouses or children, and holders of permanent resident and diplomatic visas will be allowed entry subject to existing screening and quarantine protocols," Duque clarified.
Duque said the travel restriction will be reviewed and re-evaluated within the next 48 hours based on new developments.
"Everything is always under assessment. There will be a risk assessment and there will be other impact assessments that will be done for the next 48 hours. We will have to see what the results of the risk assessments will be will guide the IATF in either expanding the travel ban or keeping the status quo. Depending on what the developments are in South Korea," Duque said.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the members of the IATF will be studying whether or not to expand the scope of the travel restriction to other areas in South Korea aside from North Gyeongsang province.
"There is an assurance from the South Korean government that they will be able to contain the problem most of the cases are isolated in these two areas-- Daegu and Cheongdo County-- expand it to the whole province of North Gyeongsang," Nograles said.
"In the meantime, ‘yun lang muna because meron ng mga assurances na binigay ang (That's the coverage for the meantime because there is already an assurance from) South Korea that it is just clustered in that area and that they are containing the scare ."
READ MORE: PH bans travelers from SoKor’s North Gyeongsang; Pinoy tourists banned from going to Korea