Amid Wuhan virus fears, Asia-Pacific countries weigh economic hit of restricting Chinese travellers

Malaysia says it is not yet time to consider deporting Chinese tourists, as the Philippines has done, while some Pacific nations have banned all travellers from or transiting through China

Health experts say it is difficult for officials to know how to respond amid uncertainties over how the virus is transmitted

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A health official watches travellers on a thermographic monitor to detect symptoms of the Wuhan virus at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, on January 25. Photo: AP

Published: 9:14pm, 27 Jan 2020Updated: 2:12pm, 17 Feb 2020

Asia-Pacific countries are grappling with the potential economic hit of restricting Chinese tourists in a bid to protect their populations from coronavirus infections, with some imposing screenings for all incoming travellers while others have turned to deportation or an all-out ban on visitors from China.

“It’s ideal if you can identify and isolate anyone coming across borders from China, but most countries don’t have these kinds of resources,” said Sanjaya Senanayake, associate professor of infectious diseases at Australian National University (ANU). “With limited resources, you have to focus on the highest yield measures – stopping incoming traffic from Hubei, and monitoring people who have travelled there.”

While Malaysia and the Philippines have suspended visas for travellers from Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, Thailand and Japan have vowed tougher screening at airports and called for Chinese travellers who felt sick to report immediately to authorities.

There are eight cases in Thailand and five in Singapore, while Malaysia, South Korea and Japan have each reported four cases. Cambodia on Monday confirmed its first case.

Visitors from China sometimes increase up to 2 million people. Where to keep them?

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad

Malaysia on Monday suspended issuing visas to Chinese citizens from Hubei province with immediate effect. The government said the decision was made following the World Health Organisation’s procedures, as well as expert advice on limiting the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday said it was not possible to quarantine all tourists from China on arrival, as there were too many. “Visitors from China sometimes increase up to 2 million people,” he said, in a report by the Star newspaper. “Where to keep them?”

Mahathir said precautionary measures taken by the Malaysian health authorities included immediately quarantining those showing even the slightest symptom of coronavirus. When asked at what stage the country might emulate the Philippines, which returned more than 500 Chinese travellers to Wuhan over the weekend, the premier said he could not yet ascertain the situation.