130 countries, territories restricting entry from virus-hit Korea

The logo of Korean Airlines is seen on a B787-9 plane at Incheon International Airport, Feb. 27, 2017. Reuters

A total of 130 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or strict quarantine procedures for travelers from South Korea as part of their moves to contain the new coronavirus Saturday, up three countries from a day earlier, according to the foreign ministry.

As of Saturday morning, 61 countries and territories, including Uzbekistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina, were barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the previous two weeks, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Uzbekistan was one of the three countries that introduced new border control measures against South Korea on the day. Starting Sunday, the entry of all non-Uzbekistan nationals traveling from Korea will be prohibited for two weeks due to the novel coronavirus infection.

Under their own new quarantine measures, Eritrea and Brazil will also start to quarantine travelers from overseas.

Eritrea will put travelers from South Korea, China, Italy and Iran under mandatory quarantine upon arrival in the country, while Brazil will recommend all travelers coming from overseas, both Brazilian and non-Brazilian, stay away from other people for seven days.

Including Eritrea, a total of 18 other countries and territories will be applying a mandatory quarantine for travelers from South Korea upon arrival in their countries.

Fifty-one other nations and regions have stepped up quarantine efforts for travelers from South Korea, including an advisory for self-isolation or stricter health checkups at the time of entry.

As of Saturday, South Korea's total confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 8,086, up from 107 a day earlier. It was the third day in a row that the daily new infection tally has come down to the 100-person range here. (Yonhap)