New Delhi - Bhutan imposed a two-week ban on tourists, India's
biggest film awards were postponed, and countries elsewhere in Asia
imposed a slew of travel restrictions to combat a spike in
coronavirus cases on Friday.
The small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, which relies on high-end
tourism, had earlier confirmed its first case of coronavirus, that of
a 76-year-old US tourist who travelled from neighbouring India.
"The government has imposed a complete two-week ban on all incoming
tourists with immediate effect," Bhutanese Health Minister Dechen
Wangmo told dpa by telephone.
Multiple countries have imposed entry bans only on tourists from
countries where the virus is most prevalent, such as China, South
Korea, Italy and Iran, rather than impose a blanket ban.
Tourism is one of the major sources of foreign exchange for the
country: In 2018, a total of 274,097 foreign individuals visited
Bhutan, earning the country 85 million dollars.
The Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Friday, citing the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, that Japan will void millions
of visas from Monday for Chinese and South Korean visitors to curb
the spread of the coronavirus.
Visitors from China and South Korea were also asked not to use public
transport.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry described the new restrictions by
Japan as "not only unfriendly, but also unscientific."
Tourists from Japan would no longer be able to come to South Korea
visa-free in response, the ministry said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) criticized the use of travel
curbs to fight the coronavirus, saying countries should instead stand
together.
"It's very important that people understand that these restrictions
are not helping," WHO emergency operations chief Mike Ryan said after
Japan and South Korea slapped each other with visa restriction.
Travel measures should be imposed only after careful consideration
that is based on scientific facts, and they should never last for
long periods, Ryan stressed.
"The only way we can beat this virus is when we stand together," WHO
chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added.
There are no regulations for mandatory self quarantine in Thailand
yet, but health officials there said on Friday that they will
introduce measures in the next few days that will require those
travelling from China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Italy, and Iran
to submit mandatory health reports. Failure to do so could result in
punishments.
Meanwhile, in India, the International Indian Film Academy Awards
(IIFA), dubbed Bollywood's Oscars, have been postponed due to fears
about the coronavirus outbreak, organizers announced on Friday.
The three-day awards ceremony scheduled for the end of the month was
being deferred "with due regard to the growing concerns around the
spread of Covid-19 virus and keeping the health and safety of IIFA's
fans and the general community at large," the IIFA said.
The event - the biggest of the year for India's massive movie
industry - was due to be held in the central state of Madhya Pradesh
from March 27-29.
The total number of confirmed cases in India rose to 31, after a
person from Delhi who had travelled from Thailand and Malaysia tested
positive, the Health Ministry said. Sixteen Italian tourists were
among those infected, pushing authorities to step up preventive
measures.
South Korea reported another significant increase in infections of
the new coronavirus on Friday, with figures showing 518 new cases
over the past day and seven more deaths. This brought the total cases
to 6,284 and the death toll up to 42, according to the Korea Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Malaysia on Friday recorded by far its biggest daily increase in
positive coronavirus diagnoses, with the national caseload
jumping from 55 to 83, according to the Health Ministry.
The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry reported a tripling
of demand for medical masks while organizers announced the
postponement of a hot air balloon festival scheduled to take place in
the administrative capital, Putrajaya, from March 19-22.
Taiwan has asked at least 103 people to enter home quarantine because
they came into close contact with a visiting Australian musician who
was later found to have the coronavirus.
The Philippines reported the first local transmission of the new
coronavirus in the country, after a 62-year-old man with no travel
history tested positive for the disease.
The man was admitted to hospital with "severe pneumonia" on March 1,
and tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, Health Secretary
Francisco Duque said.
"He has no known history of travel outside of the country," he added.
Two more people have tested positive for the new coronavirus in
Indonesia, bringing confirmed cases in the country to four, an
official said.
North Korea claims to have released 221 foreigners from quarantine.
They were among the 380 foreigners who had previously been isolated
and placed under strict medical surveillance, state media reported on
Friday. No further details were given.
So far, no cases of infection have been officially reported from
North Korea.