Iloilo City will restrict travel to and from Negros Island starting on Tuesday, May 25 until the end of the month.

The temporary suspension of both inbound and outbound travels is stipulated in Executive Order No. 41-A issued by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas.

The move aims to stop the further transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the deadly COVID-19.

Exempted from the order are cargo ships and trucks carrying essential goods and supplies.

Meanwhile, Treñas clarified that the city’s borders will remain open to travelers from its neighboring provinces of Antique, Capiz, Aklan and Guimaras.

The city, he said, will also continue accepting locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Based on the May 23 bulletin released by the Department of Health (DOH-6), Negros Occidental accounted for the most number of active COVID-19 cases in Western Visayas at 1,811 and Bacolod City came in second with 1,190.

Iloilo City has the third highest number of active cases with 981, followed by Iloilo province with 822; Aklan, 484; Capiz, 444; Antique, 293; and Guimaras 80.

All in all, the region has 6,105 active cases.IMT