Amid the ongoing threat posed by the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV), San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo issued an executive order yesterday morning barring a foreign vessel from entering municipal waters. Based on a copy of the order forwarded to members of the media, the M/V Sea Music, a general cargo vessel originating from the Chinese port city of Ningde, was prohibited from docking or dropping anchor in the city’s waters.
The mayor said he made the decision based on guidelines issued by the Department of Health and recommended the ship be redirected to Cebu City or Manila.
He added, the city is not ready to handle nCoV cases.
Gustilo affirmed foreign vessels originating from China, Hong Kong, and Macau will be barred from entering city waters.
Based on information provided by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Negros Occidental, the M/V Sea Music has 15 Filipino and six European crew members.
Lt. Commander Jansen Benjamin, PCG-Negros Occidental chief, earlier stated the vessel was scheduled to arrive yesterday and was originally expected to remain at the city’s anchorage area while awaiting inspections by PCG and the Bureau of Quarantine./DGB, WDJ