The Philippines will ban the entry of US travelers beginning Sunday, according to a statement by the spokesperson for President Rodrigo Duterte Friday. 

Travelers who have been to the US in the last two weeks will be prohibited from entering the country. 

The announcement comes after the new coronavirus mutant strain was detected in a third US state. 

The ban, which will remain in place until Jan. 15, is an extension of the travel ban put in place Dec. 29, which restricted travel with 19 countries, not including the United States. 

Filipino nationals are not included in the ban. 

The Philippines has recorded nearly 500,000 coronavirus cases, making it the second worst-hit country in Southeast Asia.