Bohol has just opened its doors to non-authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) after almost a month of border control.

On Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, Gov. Arthur Yap issued Executive Order 42, series of 2021, lifting the border control in the province, and now allowing sea and air travelers into Bohol subject to entry protocol.

EO 42 now allows the entry of travellers who are non-APOR only if they can fulfill the requirement mandated in the protocol.

Those who wish to visit Bohol needto present a negative real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test taken 72 hours prior to arrival.

They must also undergo a 5-day quarantine in a local government unit (LGU) facility, in an accredited accommodation establishment, or in a private home or facility approved by the Rural Health Unit.

They will be released from quarantine only after yielding a negative RT-PCR test result taken after 5 days from arrival here, the EO said.

MORE DELTA VARIANT CASES DETECTED

Unfortunately, as Bohol opens its doors, it received information of more Delta variant cases detected here.

In a report sent by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) to the governor, it showed that there are five Boholanos who tested positive for the Delta variant of the Coronavirus disease (Covid).

As this developed, Bohol logged its first Delta variant fatality.

San Miguel town mayor Virgilio Mendez said that a 77-year-old male farmer who tested positive for Delta variant of Covid died on July 18, 2021.

He said this during a radio interview over dyTR’s Open Forum on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021.

Aside from the San Miguel case, there are 4 others who tested positive for the Delta variant. Two cases are from Tagbilaran, 1 from Baclayon, and 1 returning overseas Filipino (ROF) who resides in Loboc.

Their samples were taken from July 9 to Aug. 9, 2021, and were sent to the PGC. The PGC was able to release the results only last weekend.

As of the latest count, there are 7 confirmed cases of Delta variant with 5 touted to be local transmissions.

Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Health Office deduced that it is possible that an undetected Delta variant carrier may have brought the virus into Bohol causing the local transmission.

Lopez said this during an exclusive radio interview on Aug. 31, 2021, over Newsmakers ug Uban Pa.

He said that this is the most plausible explanation considering that the Delta variant is imported from outside the Philippines and most of those who were infected never had travel history outside Bohol.

Lopez reiterated the need to get vaccinated and to observe health and safety protocol to evade getting infected by the virus.