Updates on COVID-19 and Travel in Asia
March  5th, 2020

Dear Travel Partners,

Here are the latest updates on the COVID-19 situation in Asia, along with on-the-ground information to keep you and your clients well-informed.
SOUTH KOREA
 
The number of cases in South Korea continues to grow with over 5600 cases as of March 4th, 2020.

There are a number of official government travel warnings against South Korea including USA, UK and other major governments. We do not recommend travel to South Korea at this time.

Other countries in Southeast Asia have forbidden entry for South Korean citizens, and also for anyone transiting through South Korea. Therefore, we do not recommend anyone to use Korean Airlines or Asiana Airlines to reach other points in Asia until further notice.
 
 
CHINA

China is still closed for travel during this situation.

For the rest of Asia, the rate of increase in COVID-19 cases is less than before and the countries are safe to travel.

Please note the following updates and preventative measures put in place for each country to reduce risk of COVID-19. The official worldwide numbers can be found at the WHO website.

Please note the following updates and preventative measures put in place for each country to reduce the risk of COVID-19.
 
 
VIETNAM
  • The US CDC  has removed Vietnam from the list of destinations with risk of community spread of Coronavirus.
  • The lockdown on Son Loi Commune, 47 km north of Hanoi, has been lifted since March 4th, 2020, after 20 days of being zoned off to prevent COVID-19 spread.
  • Anyone who departs from or is transiting through South Korea will be quarantined in Vietnam for 14 days after arrival (as of Feb 28).
  • Foreign nationals including South Koreans who have visited Daegu/Gyeongbuk in South Korea within 14 days will be denied entry of Vietnam.
  • No entry for visitors who have stayed in China in last 14 days (Airlines are preventing people from boarding flights to Vietnam if they have been in China within 14 days prior to travel.)
  • Vietnam will deny the entry of people who are from and ever visit the Corona hit areas of the countries or territories that have Corona outbreak: In South Korea this is Daegu and Gyeongsang, and in Italy this is Tuscany, Lombardy, Sicily.
  • All tourist sites are open.
  • 16 cases of COVID-19, but all cases have now recovered
  • There are health screenings (temperature screenings) at all airports monitoring all arrivals.

 

CAMBODIA
  • Currently no travel restrictions in place
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • 1 case of COVID-19
 
LAOS 
  • No flights to and from China.
  • Some airlines (T’way Air, Air Busan, and Jin Air & Laos Airlines) have suspended flight between Laos & South Korea
  • All foreign nationals who have visited either China or South Korea in the past 14 days before entering Laos will be subject to tougher screening processes
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • No cases of COVID-19

 

MYANMAR

  • No flights to & from China or South Korea.
  • Anyone who has visited or stayed in Daegu in South Korea within 14 days of arrival will be quarantined at a designated hospital for 14 days (as of Feb 28).
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally.
  • No cases of COVID-19

 

THAILAND
  • Some airlines have suspended flights between Thailand and China. 
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • 43 cases of COVID-19 

 

INDONESIA
  • No entry for visitors who have stayed in China in the last 14 days
  • Quarantining passengers coming into Indonesia that are known to have been in contact with persons who have tested positive elsewhere.
  • The Indonesian government has banned all travel to and from China
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • 02 cases of COVID-19
 
JAPAN
  • No entry for anyone in Hubei province in last 2 weeks.
  • Foreign nationals who have visited Daegu/Cheongdo in South Korea within 14 days will be denied entry of Japan (as of Feb 26).
  • No cruise ships which have visited China recently and have risk of Coronavirus
  • The Diamond Princess cruise is currently docked at Yokohama, Japan under quarantine. There are over 500 cases on board however this does not affect any tourism visits to the rest of the country.
  • As of Wednesday some passengers who have passed the quarantine period and are not ill with the virus have disembarked. The situation seems to be improving.
  • Numerous attractions throughout the country are temporarily suspending service, some festivals and events may have been canceled or postponed. For regular update, please visit JNTO official TripAdvisor account @VisitJapan
  • 268 cases of COVID-19

 

HONG KONG
  • All travelers entering Hong Kong from the mainland are required to be quarantined for 14 days.
  • Anyone who has departed from or transited in South Korea will be denied entry of Hong Kong (except for Hong Kong ID card holders, as of Feb 25).
  • Passengers who have been in South Korea, Iran or three regions of Italy in the past 14 days will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival compulsorily.
  • Passenger services at Lo Wu, Hung Hom, and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line stations; West Kowloon Station of the Express Rail Link; the Macau Ferry, China Ferry, Tuen Mun Ferry terminals, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Ocean Terminal; as well as the land crossings at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok are suspended.
  • Some major attractions, including Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park Hong Kong, sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck, Noah’s Ark Hong Kong, the Ngong Ping 360 cable car service, Man Mo Temple, museums under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and facilities of the Antiquities and Monuments Office are temporarily closed until further notice. Other attractions including the Peak Tram have shortened operating hours. Before your visit, please check their respective websites.
  • Some events may be postponed or cancelled. Hong Kong Sevens is postponed and Hong Kong Arts Festival, Art Basel and Art Central programmes have been cancelled. Tai Kwun remains open with limited services; all exhibitions, events, performances and guided tours are suspended.
  • 101 cases of COVID-19

 

TAIWAN
  • Restrictions on entry of Chinese citizens
  • Foreigners who have been to China within 14 days are banned from entering Taiwan
  • 14-day home quarantine to be required for travelers transiting through China, Hong Kong and Macau and granted entry into Taiwan
  • Foreign nationals who depart from or are transiting through South Korea will be quarantined in Taiwan for 14 days after arrival. (as of Feb 25)  *Nationals of Taiwan will be applied as of Feb 27.
  • All international cruise ships will be prohibited from entering Taiwanese ports until further notice.
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • 42 cases of COVID-19

 

PHILIPPINES

  • Anyone who has traveled from Gyeongbuk/Daegu/Cheongdo in South Korea is not permitted to enter the Philippines. Nationals of Korea will need to have a Resident Registration Certificate in English (as of Feb 29); permanent visa holders will be quarantined for 14 days.
  • There is currently a ban on cruise ships making port of calls in the Philippines.
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • 3 cases of COVID-19

 

SINGAPORE
  • No entry for visitors who have stayed in China in last 14 days
  • Visitors travelling from China, Iran, Northern Italy, Japan and South Korea
  • All new visitors with recent travel history to Mainland China, Iran, Northern Italy, Japan and South Korea within the last 14 days will not be allowed entry into Singapore, or to transit through Singapore.
  • Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has suspended the issuance of all forms of new visas to those with PRC Passports. Singapore’s status as a visa-free transit facility for those with PRC and Iranian passports has also been suspended.
  • Previously issued short-term and multiple-visit visas for those with PRC and Iranian passports have also been suspended. During this period of suspension, they will not be allowed entry into Singapore.
  • No entry for Chinese citizens
  • All tourist sites are open and running normally
  • 108 cases of COVID-19

 

MALAYSIA

  • Anyone who has traveled from South Korea and arrived into eastern Malaysia (Sabah/Sarawak) is not permitted to enter
  • Foreign nationals who have visited Daegu/Cheongdo in South Korea within 14 days will be denied entry of Malaysis. (as of Feb 28) *except for Malaysian resident, student or long term pass holders
  • Anyone who has visited Wuhan, Hubei, Zhejiang, or Jiangsu province within 14 days will be refused entry (as of Feb 9)
  • Chinese who has a passport issued by Wuhan, Hubei, Zhejiang or Jiangsu will be refused entry (as of Feb 10)
  • 29 cases of COVID-19
 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND INFORMATION

There are additional screening measures put in place by the local authorities such as checking body temperature (by infrared). These checks may be at airports, hotels, shopping centers, office buildings or other locations. We advise all visitors to fully comply with any checks.

The following are useful points from Department of Health (UK) to reduce risk of catching or spreading respiratory viruses like COVID-19.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
  • This is particularly important after taking public transport.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • If you feel unwell, stay at home. If serious visit a doctor!
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash hands with soap and water.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home and work environment.
  • For persons who are not ill, there is no evidence on the usefulness of facemasks as a general prevention measure.
 
FACEMASKS
 
We CANNOT guarantee the availability of face masks for guests in Asia as they are out of stock in many areas. Therefore, we recommend guests to bring their own face masks from home if they wish to wear a face mask. Please note, USA CDC (Center for Disease Control) does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. According to CDC, Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to  others. 
 
On the ground, Trails of Indochina are taking action to reduce the risks. We are working with our vehicle suppliers to ensure vehicles are cleaned and sanitized daily, and we aim to provide hand-sanitizers to all our guests.
 SHOULD I STILL TRAVEL TO ASIA?

YES! We would like to assure all our partner agents and clients that apart from China and Korea, all our travel programs are operating normally. So far, there have only been government travel warnings advising against travelling to China and Korea. 
 
We continue to monitor the situation and will send a further update as the situation develops.
 
Please contact us should you require further information and assistance with your travel plans at CARE@trailsofindochina.com

 

Kind regards,

Trails of Indochina 

 

5 March 2020
15:00 Vietnam Time

ADDITIONAL LINKS & RESOURCES

Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases, By Johns Hopkins CSSE

The Coronavirus in Asia and ASEAN – Live Updates by Country, Posted by ASEAN Briefing
33 Le Trung Nghia Street
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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