Philippines to send 500 Chinese tourists back to Wuhan

A Philippines aviation official said today close to 500 Chinese tourists who arrived in Kalibo, Aklan from Wuhan will be transported back to their point of origin this week, CNN reported.

Civil Aviation Board executive director Carmelo Arcilla said that air carriers Royal Air Charter and Pan Pacific Airline will send back the visitors in three batches: tonight, tomorrow and Monday despite the clampdown in Wuhan.

Pan Pacific Airlines and Royal Air Philippines offer direct flights from Wuhan City to Kalibo. Pan Pacific operates charter flights on the route from Tuesday to Sunday, while Royal Air operates charter flights from Monday to Saturday.

Arcilla said the airlines have the clearance to repatriate the foreigners because they are Wuhan residents.

Aklan Provincial Health Officer Cornelio Cuachon said today that 135 foreigners flew in yesterday or hours before Philippine authorities announced that as a precautionary measure, it will suspend flights to and from Wuhan.

None of them was quarantined and referred for hospital care as they did not show the red flag symptoms of the new coronavirus such as fever.