One hundred two travelers who arrived at the Bacolod Silay Airport from Metro Manila Thursday and Friday, January 6 and 7, were found antigen reactive, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
The 102 were brought to the provincial government’s healing facility in Silay City where they will be quarantined to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially the Omicron variant, Diaz said.
Those who are unvaccinated will be quarantined for 14 days and those who have been vaccinated for seven days, Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Incident Management Team head, said
The Silay Healing Center also has 10 non antigen reactive occupants who also arrived from Metro Manila and are close contacts of the some of the 102, he said.
Caelian said 25 passengers whose test results were antigen reactive arrived on five flights Thursday and 77 on seven flights Friday.
Two COVID-19 patients from Talisay City and Pontevedra are also in quarantine at the facility.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued Executive Order 21-61-A, Series of 2022 Thursday requiring all inbound travelers from areas under Alert Level 3 to present negative RT-PCR test results obtained within 72 hours prior to arrival in Negros Occidental starting Sunday, January 9.
The negative RT-PCR results will be required regardless of the incoming passenger’s vaccination status, Lacson said.
The governor also directed the Provincial Health Office to conduct rapid antigen testing on all incoming passengers at airports and seaports until Sunday.
Incoming passengers are also required to obtain an S-PASS, an electronic copy of their approved travel coordination permit issued by the Safe, Swift, Lacson said.*