The provincial government of Eastern Samar will allow essential travel of residents in and out of the province within 24 hours except to areas in the region considered as hot spots for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

These are the towns of Alangalang, La Paz, Hilongos and the cities of Baybay and Ormoc, all in Leyte, Basey in Samar, and the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center here, where there is confirmed local transmission of the virus, Governor Ben Evardone said in a statement on Thursday.

“Essential purposes include health or emergency reasons, business trips, official travel, delivery of goods, purchase of basic commodities, among others,” he said.

Persons seeking short-term travel will be provided with a travel pass at the border checkpoint containing their full names, date and time of entry or exit, and purpose of travel.

They must return to the same checkpoint within 24 hours, submit the issued travel pass, and log the time of their return or departure.

“Failure to return to the same checkpoint within the period will require them to undergo the 14-day quarantine, including those with Covid-19 symptoms upon return. They must also disinfect footwear used for travel, take full-body bath with soap and water, and wash all clothes in a detergent solution immediately upon return,” Evardone said.

Short-term travel of non-residents inside is also allowed provided they practice minimum health standards, such as wearing a mask, proper hand hygiene, physical distancing.

“They must refrain or at the very least minimize physical interaction. If the purpose of travel is delivering goods, they must depart as soon as unloading is done,” the official said.

To date, Eastern Samar has no active case of Covid-19, as its first two patients from Borongan City and Mercedes town have already recovered, the provincial health office reported.

Meanwhile, Eastern Visayas has confirmed a total of 611 cases, including 493 recoveries and three deaths in Leyte, Biliran and Samar.

Most cases in the region are returning residents—385 are locally stranded individuals, 52 are overseas Filipino Workers, and three are Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa program beneficiaries.

The remaining 160 are local cases, the Department of Health said. (PNA)