The Philippines stretched out the restriction on all travelers from more than 30 nations and regions where the new COVID-19 strain is detected and spreading rapidly. The boycott will continue to be in power till January 31. It incorporates travelers from Singapore, the USA, Britain, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, South Korea, and China, including Hong Kong.
Government’s part
No statement came out to forbid travelers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A Filipino – who has since gotten back to the Philippines – got the new variation of the virus while in Dubai.
“Authorities will proclaim about the restriction on voyagers from UAE.” Mr. Harry Roque, the president’s representative, told web news website Rappler.
The new strain of Covid-19
The variant – formally known as VUI-202012/01, is 70% more contagious than any previous Covid-19 variants. First recognized in Britain in late September, it has spread to more than 40 nations already. Yet, it isn’t believed to be more dangerous or cause more severe ailments.
With the excess of 494,000 cases and 9,739 passings, the Philippines has the second-most significant number of Covid-19 cases and casualties in South-east Asia, after Indonesia.
Mr. Roque said in an assertion on Friday that the Health Ministry would send tests from the individuals who turned out positive for genome sequencing to figure out which variations of the COVID-19 they were carrying.
The first case in the Philippines
On Wednesday (January 13), the Health Ministry declared that it had discovered the British variation in a 29-year-old male who went to Dubai for business from December 27 to January 7.
After returning to the Philippines from Dubai, he tested positive for the new variant. Specialists in the Philippines cautioned that the new strain could raise the nation’s total Covid-19 caseload to 15times.
