The province of Ilocos Norte has recorded two new confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, barely a week after the last reported confirmed case in Bacarra town.

In a statement Monday night, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said the latest Covid-19 positive patients were admitted on July 3 at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City.

“Both are considered Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR): one traveled from Quezon City to deliver medical equipment while the other belongs to a group of skilled workers from Cavite,” said Manotoc.

The hospital, meanwhile, reported that the seven persons who were in contact with them tested negative based on swab testing results.

Although the fresh two cases were tested and are currently being treated at the Batac hospital, Manotoc clarified both are not counted in Ilocos Norte’s official tally of Covid-19 cases because they are not residents here.

“While we cannot legally lock down our borders to cargo, returning residents and APOR, we do have strict protocol firmly in place, including a mandatory quarantine for returning residents and interview, health check, and a record of all those entering or passing through our borders,” he added.

As of this posting, Ilocos Norte has a total of five confirmed cases, four of them have recovered while the other one is in stable condition. (PNA)