Governor Arthur Yap has yet to decide as to whether lift or extend the ban on inbound travel to Bohol.
Yap, during the Capitol’s weekly press briefing on Friday, said he will still consult mayors and representatives from the health sector to determine if there is still a need to extend the ban after it expires on August 31, 2021.
“Kung mangutana ta kung duna bay move to extend the [border closure], kinahanglan makigkonsulta muna ko sa atong mga mayor human sa atong presscon,” Yap said.
Yap has repeatedly stressed that his decision to close Bohol’s borders was based on the advice of the province’s local chief executives and health experts, but the governor has the sole capacity to issue the executive order mandating the closure.
Amid the surge in the number of active COVID-19 cases despite the strict border control, Yap explained that the spike was caused by intensified contract-tracing efforts.
The resumption of full operations of the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital’s molecular laboratory also contributed to the steep increase in cases.
The facility previously limited its testing operations due to the quarantine of its staff causing a backlog in the processing of samples.
“Even if our cases are increasing, it is because our labs are working, wa tay mga backlog sa atong mga laboratories sa Gallares ug sa atong provincial government laboratory, mao na ning saka,” Yap said.
Based on data released by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) on Friday, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Bohol was at 1,619.
Compiled data from the PHO showed that the province recorded 732 new COVID-19 cases from August 23 to August 27, 2021.