Ilocos Sur closes borders with Mt. Province temporarily to prevent UK virus variant entry

The province of Ilocos Sur closed its borders with Mt. Province temporarily to prevent the entry of the UK variant of the coronavirus detected in the municipality of Bontoc.

Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson issued an executive order directing the temporary closure of two borders starting Saturday, according to a report on GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday.

The two borders are in Barangay Aluling and Barangay Commilas in the municipality of Cervantes.

Persons and vehicles coming from Mt. Province will be denied entry to Ilocos Sur at these checkpoints manned by authorities.

The Department of Health confirmed last week the local transmission of new coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 (UK variant) in Bontoc, Mt. Province.

This was after a returning overseas Filipino who came from the United Kingdom traveled to Barangay Samoki, Bontoc with his wife last December after testing negative for COVID-19 upon arrival in the country. However, he began manifesting symptoms on Dec. 29, three days after he met relatives for a ritual as part of their beliefs.

Fifty-seven of his close contacts in Bontoc tested positive for COVID-19, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday.

Vergeire said that of the 57 who tested positive for COVID-19, twelve were also found infected with the more transmissible UK variant of the coronavirus.

Five Bontoc barangays were placed under strict lockdown to prevent further transmission of the virus. —KG, GMA News