Philippines Halts Easy Visas for Chinese Tourists to Prevent Virus Spread

(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines will temporarily stop issuing visas-upon-arrival to Chinese tour groups to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Bureau of Immigration said.

Its gaming regulator also ordered online casinos -- which employ and cater mostly to Chinese nationals -- to impose a 10-day quarantine on new and returning employees from countries with reported cases.

There are still no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines, while 27 patients are being closely monitored, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a press briefing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andreo Calonzo in Manila at acalonzo1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Cecilia Yap at cyap19@bloomberg.net, Clarissa Batino

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