The South Korean community in the Philippines is gripped by anxiety after President Rodrigo Duterte enforced a lockdown on the northern Luzon Island, including capital Manila, until April 13 as a coronavirus prevention measure.

According to a Korean-Filippino community representative on Wednesday, all public transportation on the island has been suspended and people are only allowed to leave their homes to buy daily necessities.

Fear over the virus further heightened on Tuesday as 45 new infections were reported in the country, raising the total to 187. Two additional deaths brought the death toll to 14.

While up to 10-thousand out of some 60-thousand South Koreans on Luzon reportedly wish to be repatriated to South Korea, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines can only accommodate less than five-thousand before foreigners are banned from evacuation after Thursday.

The South Korean Embassy in Manila is in discussions with the two flagship carriers to repatriate all those wishing to evacuate.