The province of Ilocos Norte has indefinitely suspended beginning Tuesday home quarantine protocols for its returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) due to the recent detection of new coronavirus variant in the country.

In a public advisory, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte announced that ROFs will not be allowed to quarantine at home unless they present a certificate showing they have completed a 14-day facility-based quarantine.

Dr. Norman Rabago, provincial health consultant, said this is another strategy to protect local residents from contracting the new variant of coronavirus while government authorities are doubling their efforts to contain the disease.

Last week, the first case of new and more contagious coronavirus variant was detected in a Filipino male who arrived from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 7.

Report said the patient left for Dubai on Dec. 27, 2020 for a business trip and arrived in the Philippines via an Emirates flight.

This prompted the Philippine government to ban travelers with recent travel history to Britain and some other countries and regions to prevent the new strain from spreading in the country.

Dr. Rina Corpuz, provincial quarantine facility consultant, said Ilocos Norte maintains at least six quarantine facilities and isolation units that cater to returning residents who can no longer be accommodated by their respective local government units.

“Presently, our quarantine facility is 40 percent occupied while the isolation facility has 76 percent occupancy,” she said. (PNA)