The Philippines may ban travel to and from Sabah after receiving reports that the new coronavirus strain has reportedly reached the area.

Sabah is occupied by Malaysia, but claimed by the Philippines as part of Mindanao.

In a televised briefing on Saturday, December 26, President Rodrigo Duterte said officials of Jolo in the southern province of Sulu asked for a naval blockade and sought assistance from the national government on how to handle the situation.

Sabah is around 29 hours by boat to Sulu.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana recommended the imposition of a travel ban during the meeting.

But in the same meeting, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told Duterte that travel bans should only be implemented if the new strain reaches community transmission in a particular country.

“Ikunsidera lamang ang travel ban, Mr President, kung nasa lebel na ng community transmission ang new variant sa naturang bansa,” Duque said.

(Mr President, consider travel bans only if the new variant reaches community transmission level in the country of origin.)

So far, officials have not yet detected the new strain in the Philippines.

“We will assume that the new strain will arrive in the Philippines. Unless you close the country, papasok talaga iyan (that will get in),” Duterte said.

As of posting, however, the President has yet to issue a definitive order on the matter.

United Kingdom flights

The new strain originated from the United Kingdom.

The Philippines earlier imposed a ban on flights from the UK, effective December 24 to 31. Travel to the UK is not yet barred, but subject to existing exit protocols of the Philippines.

UK passengers who intend to go to the Philippines after December 31 – presuming the ban would not be extended – would have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a facility in New Clark City in Tarlac.

Duque said 79 passengers from the UK arrived recently, of which 1 tested positive for COVID-19, 53 tested negative, while 23 are awaiting results and 2 already returned home to the UK.

The health chief emphasized there are no indications yet that the new COVID-19 strain has entered the Philippines. – Rappler.com