LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Sur provincial government on Tuesday confirmed that a 58-year-old female agriculturist of the National Tobacco Administration based in Candon City, had tested positive for the more contagious UK variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a statement, Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson said the patient is a resident of Barangay Luba, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur who has no travel history outside the province but was exposed to a fellow employee, an authorized person outside residence (APOR) who is from Rosario, La Union.
“The APOR traveled in National Capital Region and upon his return, he met with agriculturists in Ilocos Sur. From that meeting, there was a surge of Covid-19 cases in the province,” Singson said.
On Monday evening, the Department of Health confirmed that one of the samples sent to them was traced to the UK variant or B.1.1.7 virus.
With this, the governor appealed to all those who have been in contact with the 58-year-old patient to cooperate and submit themselves to swab testing.
While massive contact tracing is ongoing, the border personnel of Ilocos Sur has tightened their security and health protocols to prevent the further spread of the new UK variant.
As of this posting, Ilocos Sur has logged 394 active Covid-19 cases with 478 recoveries and eight deaths. (PNA)