The Western Visayas Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) on COVID-19 has approved the suspension of the arrival of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Negros Occidental from October 3 to 9.
LSIs bound for Bacolod, however, may enter through the Bacolod Silay Airport.
The RIATF acted on the request of Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson for a moratorium on the entry of LSIs due to the congestion and non-availability of quarantine facilities because of the influx of returning overseas Filipinos and LSIs.
The governor said the seven-day moratorium would allow authorities to decongest, disinfect, and prepare quarantine facilities for the new batch of incoming stranded persons.
As of Monday, Western Visayas has 12,490 COVID-19 cases, according to the Department of Health in Western Visayas.
Bacolod has the most number of cases at 4,213, followed by Negros Occidental (3,277), Iloilo City (2,802), Iloilo province (1,384), Capiz (527), Guimaras (151), Aklan (122), and Antique (64).