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Why was China excluded from travel ban?

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/01/07/20210102-wuhan.jpg"/><figcaption>Travelers arrive with their luggage at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province, China Jan. 2, 2021. <em>Tingshu Wang, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has not yet included China in travel restrictions because international authorities have yet to confirm the reported case of the new, more contagious COVID-19 variant in the Asian giant. </p><p>The <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/philippines-expands-travel-curbs-to-6-more-countries-over-new-covid-19-variant">expanded travel curbs</a> that Duterte&#x27;s office announced on Wednesday did not include China. Beijing recently reported that a 23-year-old woman who arrived from the United Kingdom tested positive for the new COVID-19 strain first detected in UK. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/04/21/coronavirus-chinese-student-found-to-have-new-variant-on-return-from-britain">Coronavirus: Chinese student found to have new variant on return from Britain</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Kasi hindi pa po &#x27;yan nare-report ng mga international agencies na kumpirmado. Ang alam lang po natin ay media reports,&quot; said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. </p><p>&quot;Kung meron namang confirmation, siyempre, isasali rin sila. As of now wala pang confirmation,&quot; he told reporters in an online briefing.<br/> <br/>(That has not yet been reported by international agencies as confirmed. What we know are media reports. If there is a confirmation, of course they will be included. As of now, there is no confirmation yet.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CZRQWvw8zfo?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar"><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div><p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros has questioned why China was excluded from the travel restrictions. </p><p>&quot;Tigilan na ang kababalaghan. Bakit exempted ang China? Natatakot nanaman ba tayong masaktan ang damdamin nito? Unahin naman natin ang Pilipinas,&quot; Hontiveros said in a statement. </p><p>(Why is China exempted? Are we afraid again to hurt its feelings? Let’s put the Philippines first.)</p><p>&quot;Lubos na nakakahawa ang new variant na ito. Huwag na nating hintayin na maghingalo pa ang ating mga ospital at mahirapan pa ang ating mga nars at doktor bago umaksyon,&quot; she added.</p><p>(This variant is highly contagious. Let us not wait for our hospitals to bog down, and for our nurses and doctors to have difficulties before we take action.)</p><p>The Philippines has not yet detected a case of the new COVID-19 variant, which British scientists have named &quot;VUI – 202012/01.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/no-new-covid-variant-detected-in-ph-gene-sequencing-shows-doh">No new COVID variant detected in PH, gene sequencing shows — DOH</a></li></ul><p>The variant includes a genetic mutation in the &quot;spike&quot; protein, which could theoretically result in <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/new-variant-may-increase-philippines-covid-cases-15-fold-says-govt-adviser">easier spread of COVID-19</a>.</p><p>The Philippines has tallied some 480,000 coronavirus infections. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/covid19-watch">COVID-19 Watch</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Djw2DpktoW4?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>President Rodrigo Duterte has not yet included China in travel restrictions because international authorities have yet to confirm the reported case of the new, more contagious COVID-19 variant in the Asian giant. </p>

President Rodrigo Duterte has not yet included China in travel restrictions because international authorities have yet to confirm the reported case of the new, more contagious COVID-19 variant in the Asian giant.

Why was China excluded from travel ban?

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Why was China excluded from travel ban?

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 07, 2021 01:59 PM PHT

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