MANILA, Philippines — Airports and seaports in the country are on high alert and have tightened their safety measure amid the coronavirus scare plaguing the country, the Department of Transportation said.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the department disclosed that Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had already directed the aforementioned to undertake "all measures necessary and expedient to address the issue on coronavirus."
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According to the department, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is already closely coordinating with the Department of Health and the Bureau of Quarantine in monitoring passengers and securing airports.
The scare surrounding the new SARS-like virus reached Philippine shores after a Hong Kong-based newspaper reported that the family members of the Chinese man who was listed as the first carrier of the virus traveled to the Philippines via Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-111. The airline, though, said they did not place any of the passengers aboard the flight on quarantine, and that no significant fevers were detected on board.
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Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have also released separate statements on the matter.
“Please be advised that we are closely monitoring reports on the novel coronavirus,” PAL said.
“We are closely monitoring the spread of the Wuhan virus, and have precautionary measures in place for our flights,” Cebu Pacific said for their part.
Reports say that China has already closed down the city where the virus is believed to have originated from.
DOTr's statement also said that Royal Air, one of the airlines that operate direct flights between Kalibo, Aklan and Wuhan—the origin city of the outbreak described by state media as "the main battlefield" against the disease—said it intended to suspend its Wuhan flights until the outbreak has been contained.
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This came after reports said that the city, a major transport hub with a seafood market, had been sealed off to travel by air, land and water.
The epidemic has since evolved into a worldwide scare following reports that the virus had been detected in the United States along with other parts of Asia.
“As we implement preventive measures and stringent monitoring of passengers in our transportation hubs nationwide, we implore the public to cooperate with the authority and also be vigilant in their travels at all times,” Tugade said. — with reports from Agence France-Presse