1 Virus-hit Koreans in the city of Daegu in Boracay

Last updated on May 18th, 2021 at 05:30 am

There are 11 Korean tourists are being monitored in Boracay amid the threat of the new 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

The 11 were from Daegu City, the epicenter of South Korea’s COVID-19 outbreak.

The tourists arrived at Kalibo International Airport on Tuesday 25 February, a day before the Philippine government imposed travel restrictions on parts of South Korea due to the COVID-19 threat, according to the Aklan Provincial Health Office.

Afterwards the 11 tourists have reportedly gone to Boracay.

In 2019, South Koreans were the biggest tourists in the Philippines, with over two million visitors.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, South Korea registered 505 new cases on Thursday, marking its greatest daily leap since the first patient was confirmed on Jan. 20, and bringing the national count to 1,766.

The temporary testing facility in Goyang, about 16 km northwest of the capital Seoul, was opened at a public parking lot on Wednesday as more than 100 people try to get tested every day, the city said in a statement.

With only four patients, Goyang has not been badly hit so far, but in recent days, unexpected and rapid spikes in infections have stoked fears of a national outbreak.