ILOILO Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. on Thursday afternoon, January 30, requested the Cebu Pacific Air (CebPac) to stop vice versa international flights bound for Iloilo from 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infected countries.

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed Thursday the first case of 2019-nCoV in the Philippines. The patient is a 38-year-old female from Wuhan, China who arrived in the country last January 21.

In a letter written and released on Thursday afternoon, addressed to operations manager of Cebu Pacific Air Leah Vallido, Defensor had requested a “voluntary cessation of international flights” to and from countries positive for 2019-nCoV immediately.

The governor said he requests for favorable and immediate action. (SunStar Philippines)