Davao Region (Region XI) has 35 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases bringing its total number of active cases to 347, the Department of Health (DOH) Davao Center for Health Development reported Thursday afternoon.

Of these new cases, 30 are from Davao City, three are from Davao del Norte and two are from Davao del Sur.

A total of 369 persons were tested today, of which 35 tested positive for COVID-19.

The region also reported 23 recoveries, among these, 18 are from Davao City, two are from Davao del Norte, and three are from Davao del Sur.

Meanwhile, Davao City will require all airplane passengers bound for Davao International Airport to present, upon check-in at the airport of origin, a negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result issued within 48 hours from the date of departure. The city government said that a rapid test kit result  shall not be accepted.

The city said the order shall be implemented beginning July 20, 2020.

In a statement, the city emphasized that all arriving passengers without this negative test result “shall be held at the airport and will not be allowed to come out until they arrange for their testing — at their own cost.”

On May 30, 2020, the City Government requested the Interagency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) to implement the policy before the resumption of regular commercial flights to Davao at the insistence of the DOH XI Epidemiology Bureau and infectious disease specialists in the region.

Data from the region’s epidemiology bureau noted that from July 5-13, 2020, the highest confirmed Covid19 cases in Davao City were travellers from Manila.

“This will greatly help Mindanao in keeping the increasing cases at a manageable level,” the city government said. (Rommel F. Lopez)