BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – All three South African travelers to Negros Occidental tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), during a re-swabbing.
They were in good condition, according to Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
The South African expats were visiting consultants of a biopower firm in northern Negros.
They are currently confined in quarantine facilities in La Carlota City and Calatrava town.
Diaz said a returning overseas Filipino (ROF) who also came from South Africa and is currently confined in a facility in Pontevedra town tested negative for COVID-19, too.
Earlier this week, South Africa was placed under a “Red List” by the national government following the discovery of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 there on Nov. 24 and subsequently declared a variant of concern on Nov. 26 by the World Health Organization.
The new variant is described to be “heavily mutated,” and studies are still being carried out on how it behaves compared to other variants./PN
