Boracay tourism, workers' livelihood affected by nCoV scare

The threat from the novel coronavirus has affected the tourism and workers' livelihood in Boracay in Aklan, according to a report by Bam Alegre on GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday.

There were no longer any flights at the Kalibo International Airport in Kalibo going to and arriving from China. Kalibo is the main gateway to the renowned island.

As a result, Chinese tourists, who used to form the majority of foreign visitors to Boracay according to the Municipal Tourism Office, were nowhere on the island.

Residents whose livelihood depend on tourism, such as tricycle drivers, have seen their earnings drop by almost half.

Even if nCoV is considered a public health emergency, there were no thermal scanners at Caticlan seaport.

Seaport personnel said the tourists have been checked at the airports of Kalibo and Caticlan prior to arrival at the seaport.

Some tourists wore face masks upon arrival and while going around the island.

Others however did not bother to put on a mask and looked forward to spending their vacation in Boracay.

Two persons under investigation for possible nCoV infection are still confined in a hospital in Kalibo as of posting time.

They have been reported to be in stable condition but have yet to be cleared pending the end of their 14-day quarantine period or the release of the results of the confirmatory tests.

The Department of Tourism urged tourism enterprises, especially accommodation establishments, to protect tourists from getting infected with nCoV by screening checked-in guests with symptoms.

The DOT said guests with symptoms must be asked the following questions:

1. Have you recently (14 days) traveled to China or a country or place on the WHO list with local transmission or outbreak of 2019-nCoV?
2. Have you had recent contact with a person with a confirmed or suspected case of 2019-nCov?; and
3. Do you have such symptoms as a fever greater than 38 degrees Celsius and flu-like symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath?

The death toll due to nCoV has reached 350 in China on Monday. The Philippines' second nCoV case resulted in fatality, the first such death outside China. —KG, GMA News