President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an order to temporarily stop the entry of all Chinese nationals from China's Hubei province, where Wuhan — epicenter of the novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV — is located, his spokesperson said on Friday. Hubei province has been on lockdown since January 24.
The announcement came a day after Philippines confirmed its first case of the deadly virus. (READ: Philippines Confirms First Case of New Coronavirus)
Salvador Panelo, in a statement, singled out Chinese nationals despite the fact that dozens of foreign nationals who traveled from Wuhan were infected with the virus.
"Upon the recommendation of DOH Secretary Francisco Duque, the President has issued a travel ban to Chinese nationals coming from the Hubei province of China where the nCoV originated," he said.
He added that the order also covers other parts of China "where there is a spread of the disease," but said this will depend on the guidance of the Chinese government or the World Health Organization.
"Ang kaniyang directive focused doon sa Hubei," Panelo said.
[Translation: His directive is focused on Hubei.]
Senator Bong Go, a close ally of Duterte, said the President set a meeting next week with medical experts and key government officials to discuss all necessary measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"Rest assured that the Duterte administration takes this threat seriously," he said.
Vice President Leni Robredo told the Duterte administration to "immediately act" on recommendations to contain the spead of the virus, such as imposing a total travel ban from China and planning for possible evacuation if necessary.
"Ang kasalukuyang banta ng coronavirus sa bawat Pilipino ay nangangailangan ng agarang aksyon mula sa ating pamahalaan... Bawat minutong ipapagbukas pa ang pag-aksyon sa mga rekomendasyong ito, lalong nailalagay sa panganib ang kapakanan at kalusugan ng ating mga mamamayan," she said in a statement on Friday.
[Translation: The threat of coronavirus to Filipinos needs swift action from the government. Every minute wasted before acting on the recommendations puts the welfare and health of Filipinos at risk.]
Even before the Philippines recorded its first case, several sectors, including numerous lawmakers, have clamored for the national government to impose a travel ban from China to stop the entry of the deadly virus. But on Wednesday, Duterte rejected the calls. He said imposing a travel ban might be difficult to undertake.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was also reluctant to recommend barring Chinese nationals from entering the country. He said they are looking at the ban as an option but he raised that China might question why we are not imposing the same restriction on other countries.
There are now 56 people under observation for suspected novel coronavirus as of Friday morning, the Department of Health said.
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This article first appeared on CNN Philippines.
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