Bacolod City wants inbound travelers from the National Capital Region (NCR) tested for COVID-19 prior to arrival, Em Ang, Emergency Operations Center executive director, said Wednesday, January 26.
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz proposed on Tuesday that RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen tests be provided for free on inbound passengers’ arrival at the Bacolod Silay Airport in Silay City.
Ang said it is important that travelers are tested before they board an aircraft or those who are positive for the virus could infect the rest of the passengers.
Bacolod City had 178 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 2,246 active cases on Wednesday, the Department of Health reported.
Ang said while the COVID-19 cases are rising the majority of those hit by the virus only have mild symptoms.
The hospitals’ intensive care unit COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City were only at 2 to 3 percent, Ang said.
COVID-19 patients hospital occupancy rate in the city was at 38 to 43 percent, and the majority of those admitted had comorbidities, she said.
Ang said she expects the COVID-19 vaccination of minors aged 5 to 11 to start in February.*