The Department of Health (DOH) admitted that it is still locating the eight travelers who arrived in the Philippines from South Africa.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the eight travelers are included in the 253 travelers who arrived in the country from November 15 to November 29, the gap before the country implemented the temporary travel restrictions over South Africa as well as other countries amid the rise of the Omicron variant.
“Eight verified but have not been located yet,” Vergeire said during a media briefing.
Among the said number, 80 of them have been verified and located: 77 and ROFs (returning overseas Filipinos) and 3 foreign nationals from Region VI.
“Of the four retested, all were negative including the three foreign nationals and one returning overseas Filipino from Region VI, who were retested last December 1,” Vergeire said.
Moreover, 71 ROFs and three foreign nationals are currently in a quarantine facility: 4 are undergoing home quarantine, 5 have been discharged after finishing their 14-day quarantine.
The DOH added that 165 are still undergoing verification.
The Philippines has earlier imposed travel restrictions on Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Netherlands, and Switzerland. Ronald Espartinez