(LEAD) 98 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus concerns

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout)
By Song Sang-ho

SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- A total of 98 countries and territories are imposing entry restrictions or tougher quarantine procedures on people from South Korea on Thursday, amid fears about the new coronavirus outbreaks

As of 3 p.m., 37 countries and territories, including Australia, plan to enforce or imposed entry bans on people who have traveled to South Korea in the past two weeks, according to the foreign ministry.

Australia announced a plan to start enforcing a weeklong entry ban on foreigners travelling from South Korea at 7 p.m. Thursday (Korea time), its embassy in Seoul said. It will review in the next seven days whether to extend the ban.

Four countries and territories, including Japan, have imposed entry bans on people from parts of Korea, such as the country's southeastern city of Daegu and the adjacent Cheongdo County, where the bulk of COVID-19 infections have occurred.

A total of 13 countries and territories, including Vietnam, have quarantined people from South Korea or other virus-affected countries.

The Republic of Congo now quarantines people flying in from South Korea, Iran, Italy and China at designated hotels.

The number of countries and territories that have strengthened immigration controls or recommended quarantine programs for Koreans was tallied at 44.

Among the countries was Mozambique, which imposes a 14-day self-quarantine for people from Korea with no symptoms or quarantines those with signs of illness at designated facilities.

Malta was also an addition to this list, as it started recommending a 14-day self-quarantine for foreigners arriving from South Korea, China, Japan, Iran and northern Italy.

In China, 17 provinces and cities, including the latest addition of Hunan Province, enforced quarantine programs for people arriving from South Korea or from parts of the country, like Daegu, mostly at designated hotels.

As of Thursday afternoon, a total of 1,226 South Koreans, including 860 in China and 318 in Vietnam, were in quarantine around the world.

South Korea's health authorities have so far reported 5,766 confirmed cases of the novel virus and 35 deaths.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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