President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the temporary ban on Chinese nationals from Hubei province, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed Friday.
Panelo said the travel ban was issued on the recommendation of the Department of Health, which announced the first confirmed case of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the country.
“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, as well in other places in China where the disease has spread,” Panelo said.
The travel ban also covered other places in China where there is a spread of the disease.
However, Panelo did not specify which areas in China are included but he said it will depend on Chinese government to confirm which places are already hit by the virus, Inquirer reported.
“Ang kaniyang directive focused doon sa Hubei,” he pointed out.
According to the DOH, there are 31 suspected cases of novel coronavirus under observation across the country.
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