Philippines expands travel ban to limit spread of coronavirus variant

The Philippines will ban travellers from 19 countries and territories until mid-January as a measure to keep out a new variant of the coronavirus, its transport ministry said on Tuesday.

The regulation will be in effect from midnight of Dec. 29 to Jan. 15, covers Filipinos and foreigners arriving from the "flagged countries", the transport ministry told reporters in a group text message.

The Philippine government previously imposed and later extended a flight ban from Britain until mid-January.