BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The implementation of health protocols for arriving passengers at the airport and seaports has been an effective tool in preventing the spread of Covid-19 in Negros Occidental, Provincial Incident Management Team head, Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, said yesterday.
Arriving passengers at the Bacolod-Silay Airport and Bredco Port are being required by the provincial government to undergo swab testing, and released only after the test results are known, with those who test positive immediately placed under quarantine.
Because of this, Caelian said that the provincial government not only managed to save resources for contract tracing, but also limit or contain the spread of the virus at the airport and seaport.
From Feb. 11-16, Caelian said 20 locally stranded individuals and authorized persons outside residence, who arrived in Negros Occidental by air and sea, tested positive for Covid-19.
He noted a decline in the number of passengers testing positive.
As of Feb. 17, Negros Occidental had 70 active cases, and Bacolod City with 74.
Both Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are under modified general community quarantine.
The PIMT report also showed that only 41 are in quarantine facilities in Cadiz, Silay, EB Magalona, and Murcia, that can accommodate a total of 628 persons.*
