Philippines-UAE flight ban extended until August 31

The Philippines will extend a ban on travellers from the UAE and nine other countries to the end of August as the country struggles to control the spread of the Delta variant.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the coronavirus task force to extend the travel restrictions from August 16 to August 31, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

The travel ban, which was first imposed on April 27, has been rolled over several times and expanded to include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The country recorded a four-month high in COVID-19 cases, with infections staying above the 12,000 mark for a second straight day on Thursday, and hospitals in some areas nearing capacity.

The Manila capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities that is home to 13 million people, remains under a strict lockdown to contain the spread of Delta, while the government ramps up its vaccination drive.

With about 11 per cent of the country's 110 million people fully immunised, millions still remain highly vulnerable to COVID-19, which has killed more than 29,500 in the Southeast Asian country.

As cases surge, more hospitals in the capital region have reported intensive care units, isolation beds and wards were nearing full capacity, and some have had to refuse new patients because of a lack of beds and ventilators.