By Gerome Dalipe and Emme Rose Santiagudo
Local government units, national agencies, even airlines imposed measures in a bid to curb the spread of the 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV) in the Philippines following the confirmation of the first case on Thursday.
In Guimaras, Gov. Samuel Gumarin issued on Friday Executive Order 15 dated Jan. 31, 2020 ordering the temporary suspension on the entry of Chinese citizens and other tourists to the island without clearances from the health department.
The EO stipulated that Chinese citizens and other foreign nationals who plan to enter the Guimaras Island need to secure clearance first from the Department of Health (DoH) before they will be allowed to visit the island.
Gumarin directed the mayors of the five municipalities in the province to temporarily ban the entry and tours of citizens from Wuhan, China where the outbreak of the virus originated, without clearance from the DOH Bureau of Quarantine.
The directive will also apply to citizens of countries with confirmed cases of the 2019-nCoV.
Gumarin issued the directive a day after the Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed the country’s first recorded novel coronavirus case.
Health officials confirmed that the Philippines has recorded its first case of the deadly virus, a 38-year old female Chinese.
With four patients in Western Visayas that are under investigation for possible 2019-nCoV, Gumarin said that Guimaras needs to be vigilant.
Likewise, security in all entry points of the island the province should be tightened.
Gumarin said that even the province is still dealing with the aftermath of the August 3, 2019 sea tragedy that brought a huge blow to the island’s tourism industry, the top priority of the Provincial Government is the health of the Guimarasnons.
The Governor also directed concerned departments of the Provincial Government of Guimaras to double its efforts, especially on an awareness campaign to prevent the entry of the 2019-nCoV in the province.
“We should be prepared, we should be vigilant against Novel Coronavirus. Nagahandum kita mabalik sa daan ang aton tourism industry, but ang ikaayong-lawas sang mga Guimarasnon aton man protektahan. This is just temporary,” Gumarin said.
Iloilo also ordered province-wide monitoring of persons with suspected 2019-nCoV symptoms and travel history to areas infected by the virus.
FLIGHT REDUCTION
Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific announced that it will reduce flights between the Philippines, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau from February 5 to March 29, 2020.
The decision affects Iloilo-Hong Kong flights.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Iloilo, three more Hong Kong flights will arrive at the Iloilo airport on February 2, February 4, and February 6.
“We are expecting flights from Hong Kong on Feb. 2, Feb. 4, and Feb 6. We are anticipating around 120 passengers per flight,” Iloilo airport terminal supervisor Art Parreño said.
Parreño said the flights are ahead of the announced temporary suspension of the Cebu Pacific of all its inbound and outbound flights to Hong Kong from February 7 to March 29 following the confirmation of the first confirmed case of 2019-nCoV in the Philippines on Thursday.
“But still, the flights will depend on whatever development or decision that Cebu Pacific will make in the coming days,” he said.
Moreover, Cebu Pacific flights going to and from Singapore will continue to operate despite the confirmed cases in the said country.
Both Hong Kong and Singapore have confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.
Only Cebu Pacific caters to international flights going to and from Hong Kong and Singapore at the Iloilo airport.
Meanwhile, Parreño assured that the Iloilo airport and the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) will continue to roll out preventive measures against the novel coronavirus to its passengers, staff, and frontliners.
“We have these preventive measures. We have a thermal scanner from the aerobridge, sanitizing gels immediately coming from the aerobridge, advisory tarpaulins, and foot bath. The passengers have also their health declaration cards,” he said.
All passengers from the said international flights will be required to follow and undergo the above-mentioned protocols, he added.
“Passengers from the Singapore flights will be subjected to thermal scanning and other preventive measures that we have rolled out,” he stressed.
Before the announcement of Cebu Pacific, local officials in Iloilo have already called for the temporary suspension of international flights in the Iloilo airport amid threats of the 2019-nCov.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. requested Leah Vallido, operations manager of Cebu Pacific Air for “voluntary cessation of international flights to and from countries positive for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) immediately” in his letter on Thursday.
It was followed by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter composed of mayors of the 42 towns and one component city of the province with a resolution passed on Friday requesting the Cebu Pacific to temporarily suspend all its international flights in the same airport.
PRECAUTION
The Department of Education (DepEd) also alerted all regional directors, schools division superintendents, principals or school heads, both teaching and non-teaching personnel, learners, and all others concerned to “take precautionary measures against the possible spread of the [new corona]virus (2019-nCoV).”
In a memorandum, DepEd strictly advised everyone to take precautionary measures such as making hand washing a habit; to cover one’s mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing; avoid close contact with people who show signs of respiratory illness; drink plenty of water and ensure foods are cooked properly; and consult a health facility if “symptoms of cough and colds persist.”
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a ban on visitors from Hubei province in China as well as from other Chinese areas hit by the novel coronavirus (nCoV), according to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Friday.
“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,” GMA News Online quoted Panelo as saying.
Panelo issued the statement a day after the Department of Health (DOH) announced the first nCoV case in the country — a 38-year-old woman from Wuhan City in China. Wuhan is a city in Hubei province.
Less than a day after the DOH’s announcement, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared global emergency over the nCov due to the potential of the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems.
Panelo said Duterte instructed the DOH to commence the protocols it has prepared to contain the disease and prevent its transmission. (With a report from GMA News Online)
