Cebu sees 40% drop in Chinese tourist arrival due to nCoV

The arrival of Chinese tourists in Cebu decreased by 40% due to the threat posed by the novel coronavirus in the province, where the Philippines' first case was said to have touched down from China via Hong Kong.

According to James Agustin's Saturday report on 24 Oras Weekend, this is expected to further decrease once the 14-day quarantine is implemented for visitors from China.

The quarantine may be implemented starting Sunday, next week.

"Well, on a normal day, we're talking of anything from 1,000 to 1,500. Now, with the cancellation of flights, this has drastically gone down to below a thousand," Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said.

Meanwhile, contact tracing is still on-going to people who came in contact with the first confirmed nCoV case in the Philippines.

On Thursday, the Department of Health said a 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan tested positive for the virus.

She is currently confined at the San Lazaro Hospital and is in a stable condition, according to sources.

Meanwhile, as of Friday, the coronavirus death toll in China has climbed to 259 with more than 11,700 confirmed cases. — Joahna Lei Casilao/MDM, GMA News