Philippines expands its travel "red list" to bar travelers from seven more countries - Austria, Czech, Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy, according to the government's Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Under current Philippines' regulations, travelers who have been to any "red list" countries within the past 14 days are not allowed to enter the Philippines.

The ban is effective immediately on Sunday until December 15.

The authority added that Filipino citizens returning home via repatriation flights might be allowed entry but still subject to prevailing protocols for "red list" countries.