Travel bans are not an effective deterrent against the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus, a World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
“Our experience based on previous travel restrictions have shown that these are not 100 percent foolproof,” Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative in the Philippines, said during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
RELATED STORY: UAE bans flights to China except Beijing
He said that the Geneva-based UN health body does not see a point in a restrictive travel ban.
However, Abeyasinghe said they are leaving it to member-states to decide whether or not to impose a travel ban in light of the outbreak of the 2019-nCoV.
WHO released a statement last January 30 saying that it does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions despite the outbreak.
READ ON: Dubai-bound OFWs stranded amid travel ban to China, HK flights
“We have left it up to member-states based on their assessment of the risks they face and the capacity of their health systems to make their own assessments,” he explained.
Several nations imposed a ban to prevent the further spread of the disease, which has killed over 400 people and infected 20,000 worldwide.
