New Covid variant: US travelers temporarily banned from entering Philippines

The restriction does not affect Filipinos but they will be asked to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, officials said

US travellers have been temporarily banned from entering the Philippines after the new and more infectious Covid variant was detected in Florida.

The ban comes into effect on Sunday, 3 January, and will last until Friday, 15 January, a spokesperson for Philippines president, Rodrigo Duterte, said.

It covers those who have been to the US within 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines, the spokesperson added.

The announcement comes just hours after health officials in Florida said they found evidence that the new variant, sometimes referred to as B.1.1.7., was found in a patient in the state.

Florida is the third state to have detected the B.1.1.7. California and Colorado have also reported cases of the new variant, which is thought to be more transmissible after being first detected in the UK.

New coronavirus cases are on the rise across the US. There were 230,982 reported on 31 December - up slightly from the 229,349 logged on 30 December.

In total, the US has recorded 20million cases and some 346,000 Covid-related deaths, official figures show.

The Philippines ban expands the travel restrictions that Manila announced earlier this week, which initially covered passengers from 19 countries and territories and took effect from midnight of 29 December.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the decision to include the US in the regulation was on the recommendation of the health and foreign affairs departments.

Passengers from the US who will arrive before 3 January will be allowed to enter the Philippines, but they must undergo a 14-day quarantine even if they had initially tested negative.

The restriction does not cover Filipinos travelling from the United States but they are also required to undergo a 14-day quarantine in a government facility when they arrive.

The new variant has not been detected in the Philippines.

With more than 475,000 confirmed infections and 9,248 deaths, the Philippines has the second-highest number of Covid cases and casualties in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.

Additional reporting by Reuters