* Ban covers all travellers from 19 countries and
territories
* Restriction imposed until mid-January
* New variant not detected yet in Philippines
(Adds more details, background)
MANILA, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The Philippines will ban
travellers from 19 countries and territories until mid-January
as a measure to keep out a new variant of the coronavirus, its
transport ministry said on Tuesday.
The regulation will be in effect from midnight of Dec. 29 to
Jan. 15 and covers Filipinos and foreigners arriving from the
"flagged countries", the transport ministry told reporters in a
group text message.
The Philippines previously imposed and later extended a
flight ban from Britain until mid-January as the more contagious
variant of the COVID-19 virus was first detected in
England. The new variant, which British scientists have called "VUI -
202012/01," has renewed fears about the virus that has killed
over 1.7 million people worldwide.
The flagged countries include France, Australia, Canada,
Germany, South Africa, Singapore and Japan.
With more than 470,000 infections and 9,124 deaths, the
Philippines has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases and
casualties in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia.
The new variant has not been detected in the Philippines.
Philippine health officials said the travel ban could be
expanded to include more countries should those report the
presence of the new COVID-19 variant.