MANILA, Jan 16 (Mabuhay) — After previously showing symptoms of pneumonia, the country’s first case of the new COVID-19 variant is now asymptomatic and is waiting for medical clearance, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said Saturday. In a public press briefing, Belmonte...

MANILA, Jan 15 (Mabuhay) — The Philippines has extended the travel ban on countries with confirmed cases of B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant, or the United Kingdom (UK) variant, until the end of January, Malacañang announced on Friday. To curb the spread of the new variant in the...

MANILA, Jan 12 (Mabuhay) — A lawmaker is calling on the government to be hospitable and compassionate with foreigners stranded in the Philippines due to travel restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bohol Representative Alexie Tutor on Monday filed House...

MANILA, Jan 8 (Mabuhay) — China is not on the Philippines’ list of nations covered by a temporary travel ban to curb the spread of the new strain of coronavirus because international agencies have yet to confirm that it has indeed entered the East Asian country, Malacañang...

MANILA, Jan 9 (Mabuhay) — Foreign travelers from Austria are banned from entering the Philippines starting Jan. 10 until Jan. 15, Malacañang said Friday, after the new South African COVID-19 variant was detected in the European country. “Relative to the detection of a...

MANILA, Jan 7 (Mabuhay) — The Philippines has added six more countries to the list of nations covered by temporary travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus discovered in the United Kingdom, Malacañang announced on Wednesday night. “The...

MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) — A passenger from the Philippines has been identified by Hong Kong authorities as having tested positive for the UK variant of COVID-19. Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of Hong Kong’s Center for Health Protection,...

MANILA, Jan 6 (Mabuhay) — The UK variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 disease, identified as B.1.1.7, has not been detected in the country just yet, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday. The DOH issued the statement after Hong Kong health authorities...

MANILA, Dec 29 (Mabuhay) — The Philippine government has expanded to 20 countries the travel ban in connection with the threat of a new coronavirus variant initially found in the United Kingdom, at least three government officials said Tuesday. “We expanded the ban to 20...

MANILA, Dec 28 (Mabuhay) — The Philippines would not yet ban travel from other countries with the new COVID-19 strain found in the UK unless there’s community transmission there, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Sunday. Beginning Dec. 24, Manila already suspended...