Quarantine and Travel Ban for Korean Entrants from Vietnam and the Philippines Under Review Amid COVID-19 Spread

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly spreads in Korea, neighboring Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines have gone on high alert. Vietnam is considering quarantining arrivals from Korea for 14 days, while the Philippines is reportedly reviewing a travel ban on Korea.

According to local media on the 24th, the Hanoi Department of Health in Vietnam proposed quarantining Koreans and Vietnamese nationals arriving from Korea for 14 days.

Earlier, on the 21st, Nguyen Duc Trung, Mayor of Hanoi, instructed authorities to significantly strengthen quarantine measures for people arriving from Korea, Japan, and Singapore, and to immediately isolate anyone showing symptoms such as coughing.

Vietnam has also advised its nationals to refrain from visiting COVID-19 outbreak areas in Korea.

On the 23rd, Da Nang City immediately quarantined a 25-year-old Vietnamese man who arrived from Daegu and showed symptoms such as fever.

The neighboring country, the Philippines, is also reportedly considering a travel ban on Korea.

Menardo Guevarra, the Philippine Secretary of Justice, said, "The inter-agency COVID-19 task force will discuss the review of a travel ban on Korea at the next meeting."

However, Secretary Guevarra added that the schedule for the next meeting is undecided.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated, "We have not banned Filipino citizens from traveling to Korea, but we recommend postponing non-essential travel to Korea."