US imposes travel ban on coronavirus-hit Philippines
Americans warned that even if they have already got vaccine shots, they should avoid travel to the Philippines; Japan prepares for 3rd virus emergency; Cambodia police defend caning of lockdown offenders
The US State Department warned American nationals against travelling to the Philippines due to the unabated surge in coronavirus ( COVID-19) infections that threatened to overwhelm the country’s healthcare system.
In its travel advisory, the State Department cited a warning from the US Centres for Disease Control and Protection ( CDC) that cited the health risks American nationals could face amid the spike in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
The advisory was contained in the Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ restriction which was updated that included the Philippines among the 100 other countries, considered the highest of the travel advisory levels, due to the scourge of the virus.
CDC warned that even if they have already received vaccine shots, US nationals should avoid travel to the Philippines to protect themselves from the risk of geting and spreading the more infectious UK and South African variants.
The agency also said that if Americans have to travel to the Philippines they should exercise the primary health protocols like the mandatory wearing of face masks and face shield as well as the observance of social distancing and the ban on mass gatherings.
This developed as Metro Manila hospitals started “declogging” mild and moderate patients in their COVID wards by moving them to isolation facilities set up by the government to free their beds for those with severe symptoms.
In Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno reported that 336-bed capacity “field hospital” has been opened at the Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta Park to accommodate mild COVID patients.
Earlier, Vivencio Dizon, the deputy chief implementer of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said several Metro Manila mayors and the national government succeeded to free up to 10,000 hospital beds.
Japan’s government is preparing to announce a third state of emergency in Tokyo and the western metropolitan area around Osaka following requests from local leaders who say current measures are failing to curb a rapid rise in coronavirus infections.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and key ministers met late Wednesday to discuss details before deciding on a state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and neighboring Kyoto and Hyogo expected later this week.
Osaka, the worst-hit area in the latest upsurge beginning in March, reported 1,242 new cases Wednesday, a new high for the prefecture and exceeding Tokyo’s 843.
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura on Tuesday said the current focus on shorter hours at bars and restaurants is not effective and requested a state of emergency that would allow him to issue tougher measures, including business shutdown orders.
Kyoto and Hyogo requested a renewed emergency on Wednesday, and Tokyo is expected to follow suit.
Cambodian police defended on Wednesday making arrests and punishing people by beating them using ratan canes for breaching coronavirus restrictions during a two-week lockdown aimed at containing a spike in infections.
The Southeast Asian country still has one of the world’s smallest coronavirus caseloads, but an outbreak that started in late February has seen overall cases spike to 7,747 and with 54 deaths.
Phnom Penh went into lockdown on April 15 and has declared some districts “red zones,” banning people from leaving their homes except for medical reasons.
A Phnom Penh police spokesman said the caning and arrests were in order to save lives, claiming that most of the public supported them.
“The Phnom Penh administration has decided that no one is allowed to leave their homes because the area is at risk of infections,” spokesman San Sokseiha said. “A small number of people didn’t listen, and we must take measures to save their lives,” he added.
But Cambodian human rights groups condemned the canings and arrests, saying that there were beter ways to ensure people protected themselves and others from the coronavirus.
The novel coronavirus has killed at least 3,046,134 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by media.