Philippines Shuts Financial Markets Due to COVID-19|確診數持續攀升 菲國股市今起暫停交易

Asian countries have imposed more drastic restrictions to contain the outbreak. The Philippines halted the stock, bond and currency trading on the 17, becoming the first country to do so after the outbreak. Malaysia, meanwhile, has also imposed a two-week nationwide lockdown while Songkran celebrations in Thailand have also been put off.


The number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the Philippines recently exceeded 100, including two fatalities. The government subsequently announced the suspension of stock market trading starting on March 17 until further notice. The Philippines is the first country to close financial markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Capital Manila has been locked down as a result of the outbreak. On March 16, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed home quarantine on Luzon Island, which is home to 57 million people, or about half of the country's population, until April 12.

It will be an enhanced quarantine during which the movement of everyone will be significantly limited. Work in the public and private sectors shall be limited to work-at-home arrangements.

In Malaysia, the number of confirmed cases has surpassed 550, including 125 people infected during a gathering at a Kuala Lumpur mosque. The Malaysian government announced the country will close its borders starting on March 18. Foreign tourists will not be allowed to enter and citizens will be prohibited from leaving. Only stores selling daily necessities will be allowed to open.

The government decided to implement restrictions to prevent the epidemic from spreading. The restrictions apply to the entire country from March 18 to March 31, 2020.

The number of confirmed cases in Thailand is approaching 150. The Thai government has therefore announced the postponement of Songkran celebrations, which were scheduled for April 13 to 15 to avert community transmission. It also decided to close all bars, boxing venues, theaters, and other places of entertainment. Classes have also been suspended.

In South Korea, drive-through COVID-19 testing centers have proven to be effective, with over 240,000 people tested. In Seoul, public phone booths have been converted into testing locations.

Ultraviolet disinfection lamps are in constant operation inside the phone booths, along with powerful negative pressure pumps. As soon as a test is completed, we disinfect and ventilate the entire booth until the next person arrives for testing.

The number of new cases on March 17 remained in double digits. However, the River of Grace Community Church in Gyeonggi Province continued holding services despite a government ban, resulting in a cluster infection affecting nearly 50 people. Worshippers believed they could avoid getting infected by spraying salt water in their mouths, and all of them used the same spray bottle without disinfecting the nozzle between sprays. It is believed the infection resulted from this action.



由於菲律賓的新型冠狀病毒確診也突破百位數，而且出現兩起死亡病例，政府宣布從17號起，暫停關閉股匯市交易，直到新通知為止，也成為全球第一個因這波疫情關閉金融市場的國家。而首都馬尼拉實施封城後，總統杜特蒂16號再宣布，占菲國人口數一半，約5700萬人的呂宋島，也將全面封島，直到4月12號。

菲律賓總統 杜特蒂表示：「封島期間，每個人都將被強制隔離，被大幅限縮行動，無論是在公家，還是私人企業工作，都該安排在家工作。」

至於馬來西亞確診人數也超過550人，同時爆發吉隆坡清真寺群聚感125人的情況，大馬政府宣布從18號起全面"鎖國"，禁止外國旅客入境，也限制公民出境，並關閉國內販售民生必需品外的所有商店。

馬來西亞首相 慕尤丁表示：「為了阻止疫情擴散，政府決定執行限制行動命令，從2020年的3月18號，直到3月31號，範圍適用全國。」

而泰國的確診病例也逼近150人，泰國政府宣布原定4月13到15號的潑水節新年假期將延期，以避免造成大規模社區傳播，此外泰國也決定關閉全國酒吧、拳館、戲院等娛樂場所，所有學校也將停課。

至於南韓方面，之前得來速的檢測方式收到成效，至今檢超過測超過24萬人，現在首爾街頭又出現利用公用電話亭改裝成檢測場所的新招。

首爾陽地總醫院醫師表示：「在電話亭裡，紫外線消毒燈持續運作，強力的負壓馬達也在運轉，一旦完成病毒檢測，我們會進行全面消毒，並充分通風，直到下一位受檢人進入。」

儘管南韓新增確診人數17號依舊維持在兩位數，但京畿道城南市的"恩惠之江"教會，不顧政府禁令持續舉行禮拜，爆發群聚感染，逼近50人確診，由於信徒誤信在口中噴灑鹽水能消毒的說法，因此所有信徒共用同一個噴管向口中消毒，可能是爆發群聚傳染的主因。