Imee: Gov’t Must Move Faster On Spike In Korea’s Covid-19 Cases

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Senator Imee Marcos has urged the government to decide immediately on measures that must be taken to keep a sudden outbreak of Covid-19 cases in South Korea from reaching the country.

“Nakatutok ang gobyerno sa pag-quarantine ng mga Pinoy crew ng Diamond Princess na kagagaling lang ng Japan, pero mukhang nadededma ang mga turistang nakakapasok pa rin galing Korea,” Marcos said Wednesday.

Marcos cited that a direct flight from Daegu, where 791 of Korea’s 977 cases of infection were recorded Tuesday, landed in Cebu before 11 p.m.

Direct flights from Busan airport, only 85 kms southeast of Daegu airport, have also been landing in Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Kalibo airports and were still being sold online by Air Asia, Air Busan, Jeju Air, Jin Air, Pan Pacific Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and T’way Air.

“Nag-warning na ang WHO sa mga developing countries na ang kahinaan ng kanilang mga health care system ay magigiing sanhi ng paglaganap ng COVID-19. Ang pagiging maagap ang ating best defense,” Marcos said.

The Senate economic affairs committee chairman added that the government may have to temporarily forego profits from the country’s largest tourist market and make the hard choice of imposing a quarantine on flight passengers from Korea, where a maximum virus alert level for Covid-19 was announced Sunday.

Some 24 countries have already decided on a travel ban or strict quarantine measures on flight passengers arriving from Korea, Marcos said, quoting a report from the Korean Herald.

An estimated two million South Koreans visited the Philippines in 2019, flying from Seoul, Busan, Cheongju, Daegu, Gimpo, Jeju, and Muan.