MANILA, Jan 29, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Asian nations have sealed borders and
clamped down on Chinese visitors as they try to protect themselves from a
deadly virus epidemic.
The outbreak has killed some 130 people in China, sickened nearly 6,000 and
sparked progressively more urgent precautions around the region.
Here are some key measures taken outside mainland China:
– Papua New Guinea –
The impoverished island nation shut air and seaports Wednesday to all
foreign travellers coming from Asia.
The ministry of immigration also announced that Papua New Guinea’s only
official land border — with Indonesian-controlled Papua province — would be
shut from Thursday.
Papua New Guinea residents returning from Asian countries will be held in
quarantine for 14 days.
– Mongolia –
Mongolia has closed its border crossings with China to cars, temporarily
shut schools and suspended all public events.
The measures announced Monday by the vast, landlocked country are some of
the most drastic steps taken by any nation so far.
– North Korea –
Plans to ban foreign tourists were announced on January 22 as the already
isolated nation sought to protect against the virus.
Pyongyang has taken similar actions in the past — it closed its borders to
foreign tourists for more than four months from October 2014 in a bid to keep
out the Ebola virus, even though no cases had been reported in Asia.
– Singapore –
Singapore announced Tuesday it will ban visitors who have travelled to
Hubei as well as those with passports issued in that Chinese province.
Officials said efforts are also underway to track down an estimated 2,000
people already in Singapore with a Hubei travel history for potential
quarantine.
– Malaysia –
Visitors from the Chinese city of Wuhan and its surrounding Hubei province
have been banned since Monday.
Authorities have temporarily halted all issuance of visas for Chinese
citizens from the hard-hit areas.
– Philippines –
Visa-on-arrival privileges for Chinese were suspended Tuesday to slow down
the entry of Chinese tourists, while Filipinos were advised to avoid non-
essential travel to China.
Charter flights between Wuhan, the Hubei city where the virus is suspected
to have originated, and the Philippine island of resort of Boracay are
suspended.
– Macau –
All staff in the city’s bustling casinos were ordered from January 22 to
wear face masks.
The former Portuguese colony is a huge draw for mainland tourists as the
only place in China that allows gambling.
All arriving passengers from the mainland are also ordered to fill out
health declaration forms.
– Hong Kong –
Six of the territory’s 14 mainland crossings were to be sealed from
Thursday as the city took steps to cut the number of people entering.
Visitors from ground-zero central Chinese province Hubei, as well as people
who have visited the area, are banned from entering Hong Kong.
Sports centres, grounds, swimming pools, beaches, campsites and sites
including museums were all to close, authorities said Tuesday.