DOH: Extra measures being done in Negros Occidental over 3 travelers from South Africa

Negros Occidental is taking additional precautions in placing three travelers from South Africa under quarantine as they were already cleared by the Bureau of Quarantine last week, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.

Two of the travelers arrived in the Philippines on November 24 while the last arrived on November 26, before the government enforced a travel ban on South Africa, which recently detected the Omicron variant.

The variant, which is found to have more than 30 mutations, is being blamed for the spike of cases in South Africa.

“[A]ccordingly, Bureau of Quarantine already said that when they released the three individuals, they were cleared by the Bureau of Quarantine,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told ANC.

“So extra measures are being done in Negros Oriental wherein they were again isolated by the local government,” she added.

Vergeire said there are no results yet from the RT-PCR tests taken by the fully-vaccinated travelers while under quarantine. They previously provided negative RT-PCR test results before arriving in the country.

“No results yet from the RT-PCR. We are still waiting and we are still monitoring,” she said.

DOH officials in Negros Occidental earlier tasked the local government to trace these foreigners.

“We traced them and they were isolated. As part of the company's policy, once you arrive from [traveling] abroad, you are not yet allowed to join the work force,” said Rayfrando Diaz II, Negros Occidental provincial administrator.

He said the three foreigners did not leave their homes upon arriving in the province. “They went directly to their staff houses and did not mingle with other people.”

The local government said the foreigners were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provided negative RT-PCR test results before arriving in the country

64 Filipinos

Meanwhile, Vergeire said contact tracing is being done for the 64 Filipinos from Red List countries that are at quarantine facilities.

“None yet but contact tracing is continuously being done and they were able to locate these 64 as I’ve said,” she said.

The Philippines has imposed a temporary travel ban on inbound travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ/KBK, GMA News