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Negros Occidental To Keep Borders Open Despite Omicron Subvariant Risk
Negros Occidental won’t shut borders after new cases of Omicron sub-variant were recorded in Iloilo.
By: Mira Maestrecampo | May 23, 2022
Borders in Negros Occidental remains open after Iloilo logs new Omicron subvariant cases.
Image: Bacolod-Silay International Airport Facebook page
The province of Negros Occidental decided not to close its borders after the news of 3 newly recorded cases of the Omicron subvariant in Iloilo.
As of May 18, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson says they would still have to observe how it goes after reports of new cases of the new Omicron subvariant have also been detected in other parts of the country.
An infectious disease expert has also declared a considerable probability of another surge of cases in the Philippines, going over 500 cases a day because of the new Omicron subvariant, BA.2.12.1. [1]
The cases are also expected to increase in parts of the country with low inoculation rates or those areas which have still not reached their target herd immunity.
Lacson has also pointed out that the new Omicron subvariant cases in Iloilo hospitals were mild and showed low numbers. The governor added that it would be too premature to update current travel guidelines and travel restrictions or implement alerting actions in response to the new Omicron subvariant, such as the closure of borders in the province.
The governor also emphasized and reminded the public not to take the situation lightly and that everyone must do their part in protecting themselves by following the minimum health and safety protocols and observing the proper wearing of face masks.
Travel mobility of inbound tourists in Negros Occidental has already reached its pre-pandemic mark since it started to leniently open its borders.
The Department of Health has already confirmed the three cases of the new Omicron subvariant in the Western Visayas region—one vaccinated returning Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and two local transmissions in Iloilo. However, the new Omicron subvariant is highly transmissible. It could cause more infections than the original SARS-CoV-2 strain of the coronavirus.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante expressed that the increase in cases cannot significantly affect the hospitalization rate in the Philippines. The country’s areas with low vaccination rates or no vaccine recipients shall be more vulnerable to the new Omicron subvariant. [2]
Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines on Negros Island!
All details and information in this article are true and accurate as of the publication date. However, while we are making our utmost effort to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the condition surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be unpredictable, and the situation is developing rapidly. Hence, some information and recommendations may have changed since this article was published. For the latest advice, visit DOH and your LGU's official websites.
Sources:
[1] https://bit.ly/3NpSdYn
[2] https://bit.ly/3NpSdYn
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About Mira Maestrecampo
Mira - with a long surname - is a girl who dreams of becoming a news anchor someday, in God's perfect time. She loves to read books and eat different kinds of cheesy or saucy food. A coffee addict and a dog lover, she loves long hugs, hot coffee on an afternoon break with friends, or simply sleeping all day with her stuffed unicorns.
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