The Philippines will stop issuing visas to foreigners in a bid to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“We are stopping the issuance of visas from all posts abroad and here,” Philippines Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a tweet posted on Thursday.
“This goes one imperative step forward: a total ban on incoming foreign visitors of all nationalities no exceptions.”
Locsin said that foreign visitors in the country will be “given all the help to get out” adding that it would be “idiotic to detain them.”
On Wednesday, the Philippines declared a state of calamity allowing law enforcement agencies as well as the armed forces to be deployed to affected areas in order to ensure peace.
The move also made the “Quick Response Fund” available for use by local governments to fight the virus.
