MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said there is no travel ban imposed on travel to South Korea amid the rising number of 2019 coronavirus disease infections in the country.

In a statement released Sunday, DFA said it has coordinated with Filipino communities in South Korea, and so far, no Filipino has been reported infected by COVID-19.

The Embassy of the Philippines in Seoul also advised all Filipinos in South Korea to monitor and comply with health advisories from Korean authorities.

Though there is no travel ban on South Korea, the DFA asked Filipinos who will be traveling to South Korea to delay their travel plans as precaution.

In cases of emergency, Filipinos in South Korea may contact the emergency hotline number of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul at (+82) 10-9263-8119.

READ: DFA says PH will not impose travel ban to South Korea amid #COVID19 outbreak there but travelers are advised to delay non-essential travel to the said country as a precaution. | via @willardcheng pic.twitter.com/AwGWokDgqF

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South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday said the government is raising its alert level on the new coronavirus to the "highest" in the face of a sudden spike in the number of infections.

• S. Korea raises coronavirus alert level to 'highest'

South Korea has seen a rapid surge in the number of coronavirus cases in recent days after a cluster of infections emerged from a religious sect in the southern city of Daegu last week.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country jumped to 602 and the death toll rose to five on Sunday. - with a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News, Reuters and Agence France-Presse