An EB Magalona resident was on the same plane with the first Filipino who tested positive for the United Kingdom (UK) COVID-19 variant, Mayor Marvin Malacon confirmed tonight, January 19.
The EB Magalona resident has tested negative for the virus but has been placed under 14-day quarantine as a precaution, he added.
The Department of Health (DOH) on January 13, confirmed the presence of the UK COVID-19 variant in the country after samples from a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates on January 7 yielded positive genome sequencing results.
Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental provincial government is lodging a complaint with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases against the entry of five Overseas Filipino Workers into the province who failed to undergo the required quarantine in Metro Manila, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
Two of the five OFWs have tested positive for COVID-19 since their return to Negros Occidental, Diaz said.
The two who tested positive for COVID-19 are from Pontevedra town, he added.
The national government protocol for OFWs is that they will be quarantined in Manila until their negative results are released after which they will be allowed to return to their home province, Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Incident Management Team head, said.
On their return to the province they will no longer be tested for COVID-19, but will have to abide by the health protocols of their local government unit, he said.
Those who come from countries with the UK COVID-19 variant have to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine in Manila even if they test negative, he added.
Meanwhile, there are 15 new COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental and 13 in Bacolod City, the DOH reported today, January 19.*