XENOPHOBIA

‘Duterte: Stop discriminating Chinese!’

PRESIDENT DUTERTE said he will not bar Chinese tourists in the Philippines despite a public outcry due to fears that Wuhan coronavirus would spread in the country where 3 cases of the deadly disease have been reported by the Department of Health (DOH).

Duterte dismissed such restrictions and allayed fears of contamination, saying, the virus - which has claimed and infected hundreds in the Chinese city of Wuhan - would die by itself. Duterte said xenophobia against Chinese over coronavirus must stop as he pledged solidarity with Beijing in an effort

to contain the spread of the deadly disease.

“They are blaming the Chinese that (the virus) came from China, but it could always incubate in some other place. It is not the fault of anybody. Not the Chinese, not the Filipino, no one,” said Duterte, whose government has asked China for loans amounting to billions of pesos to fund his ambitious infrastructure program, a promise he made to the Filipino during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

Chinese tourists also account for the spike in the number of foreigners visiting the Philippines since Duterte became the president.

A 44-year Chinese man infected with the Wuhan coronavirus had died in San Lazaro hospital in Manila and two other Chinese women are also positive for the virus, according to the DOH.

The Epidemiology Bureau (EB) has initiated contact tracing of people who interacted with or were in close proximity to the patients. The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and EB are coordinating with the concerned airline and hotels where the patients stayed.

The DOH said over 130 people are being examined or under investigation for the Wuhan coronavirus, also called 2019-ncov (novel coronavirus) Acute Respiratory Disease. It said 115 of these people are currently admitted and isolated in hospitals, while 16 have been discharged, but are all under strict monitoring.

Among those being examined are 63 Filipinos, 54 Chinese, and 16 from other nationalities. At least 32 of them had travelled to Wuhan.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the EB already assessed 203 people and quarantined 188 more from the 1st and 2nd confirmed cases. He said 14 people have been isolated and their health is being monitored by the DOH. (Mindanao Examiner)

‘ Filipinos fear getting Wuhan coronavirus