DOH to recommend inclusion of UAE in countries with travel restrictions to PH

A picture taken on December 25, 2019, shows the skyline of Dubai with Burj Al Arab. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) will recommend to the Office of the President the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the list of countries with travel restrictions to the Philippines.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said this Thursday, a day after the DOH reported that a Filipino who arrived from the UAE had tested positive for the new and more infectious COVID-19 variant that was first detected in the United Kingdom.

“We will be recommending to the Office of the President the inclusion [of UAE to travel restrictions.] Isasama na po natin sa talaan ng may detected UK variant ang UAE at aantayin po natin,” he said in a virtual press briefing when asked of possible adjustments to travel restrictions and other protocols.

Duque noted the Office of the President will most likely approve the DOH’s recommendation.

“Ngayon pa lang kahit wala pa isinasama na natin sila sa bagong protocol tugon doon sa mga bansa na nakapagreport ng UK variant,” the Health Secretary added.

(Even now, we will include it in the protocols that are being made for countries that reported the UK variant.)

On Wednesday night, the DOH reported that the more infectious variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is now in the Philippines.

The DOH said that the Philippine Genome Center reported the detection of the new variant, known as B117, from a male resident of Quezon City who departed for Dubai on December 27 for business purposes and returned to the Philippines last January 7.

/MUF