Travel Restrictions In Philippines Over Coronavirus; SF Consulate Appointment Only
MANILA, Philippines (CBS / AP) -- The Philippine president is suspending domestic travel to and from the Manila area for a month and authorizing sweeping quarantines in the region to fight the new coronavirus.
President Rodrigo Duterte is also banning large gatherings in the metropolis, suspending most government work and extending the suspension of classes by a month in new restrictions announced Thursday in a nationwide TV address.
He is warning that violators and officials who refuse to enforce the restrictions will face possible imprisonment.
Meanwhile, there are new rules for anyone seeking services at the Philippine Consulate in downtown San Francisco. As of Wednesday, the Consulate General has implemented a "No Appointment, No Entry" policy for all consulate services, including visa and passport applications. Anyone with flu-like symptoms will also be denied entry, according to an advisory posted on the Consulate General's Facebook page.
Health officials have confirmed 52 cases of the virus in the Philippines, including five people who have died.
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