MANILA, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The Philippines on Friday
extended by two weeks a ban on travellers from more than 30
territories and countries where a more transmissible COVID-19
variant has been detected, with the restriction also now
covering Filipinos who want to come home.
The Southeast Asian country, which has recorded its first
case of a new variant that was first found in Britain, has the
second highest number of COVID-19 cases and casualties in
Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia. The flight ban, which has been expanded from the initial 19
countries and territories and was initially imposed for two
weeks until Jan. 15, will now be in effect until Jan. 31,
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
The prohibition also now covers travellers from China
starting Jan. 13, and the United States beginning Jan. 3.
While the British variant was found to be nearly 70% more
transmissible than the original one, there is no evidence yet
that it is more dangerous.
The flight ban now covers all travellers coming from or
transiting through the flagged countries, which also include
Japan, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, France, Germany and Italy,
the statement said.
Previously Filipinos from those areas were allowed to come
home on condition that they underwent a 14-day quarantine in a
government-designated isolation facility.
Roque said exemptions to the entry restrictions may be
issued by the government's coronavirus task force.