The Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte announced on Wednesday that it would temporarily ban the entry of Chinese and other Asian tourists to avoid possible novel coronavirus or nCoV transmission.
The public information advisory from the office of Samal said, “As a proactive measure to protect our people from exposure to the much dreaded coronavirus, the local government unit of the Island Garden City of Samal is temporarily suspending entry of group tour travels of Mainland Chinese tourists and other Asian nationals to our city.”
“We are promoting our city for tourism, but the safety of our people is foremost,” it added.
Local government information officer Michael Homez told GMA News Online in a phone interview that health personnel in the city will visit and monitor the status of Asian tourists who are currently checked-in at resorts in Samal Island.
The Samal Island government also ordered resort, hotel, and establishment owners not to accept bookings from Chinese and other Asian customers until the new strain of coronavirus outbreak subsides, Homez added.
They also urged tour operators and tourism industry partners to cooperate and follow the said preventive measure.
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nCoV scare: Samal Island imposed entry ban for Chinese, other Asian tourists
Homez also said they would release another advisory once the entry ban gets lifted.
Samal, officially the Island Garden City of Samal (Tagalog: Pulong Harding Lungsod ng Samal, Cebuano: Pulong Harding Dakbayan sa Samal) or sometimes called IGaCOS, is a 4th class city in the province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. It is known for its stunning and world-class beaches.
DOH said one of the 23 people under investigation for coronavirus in the country is in the Davao region.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte is not inclined in the idea of banning flights to and from areas in China affected by the 2019-nCov.
“Not yet at this time. As a matter of fact, there is no known transmission from human to human na galing (from) China,” Duterte told reporters in Quezon City on Wednesday.