Philippines widens travel ban to keep out Indian coronavirus variant

May 6, 2021 - 10:28 AM
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Social distancing markers are placed on the empty counters of Cebu Pacific airline, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 9, 2020. (Reuters/Eloisa Lopez)

MANILA — The Philippines will ban the entry of travelers from Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from May 7 to May 14 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus variant first detected in India, the president’s office said on Wednesday.

READ: Philippines to ban travelers from India over highly contagious variant

Travelers coming directly from those countries, or with a history of travel to any of them within the last 14 days, would be barred from entering, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a memorandum. —Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty