MANILA – Health authorities have detected 116 additional cases of the more transmissible Delta variant, first detected in India, for a total tally of 331, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday.
In a statement, the DOH said aside from the Delta variant, also detected were cases of Alpha variant (113), Beta variant (122), and Theta variant (10), based on the latest whole-genome sequencing report by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH).
Ninety-five of the 116 additional variant cases are local cases, one is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF), and 20 cases are currently being verified if these are local or ROF cases.
Of the 95 local cases, 83 cases had an indicated address in the National Capital Region, while three had indicated addresses in Region 4-A (Calabarzon), four in Central Visayas, two in Davao Region, and one each in Zamboanga Peninsula, Cagayan Valley, and Ilocos Region.
All cases have been tagged as recovered and other pieces of information about them are being validated by the regional and local health offices.
“Among the total 216 Delta variant cases reported last July 29, the DOH verified one case who was tested in two different laboratories. Both samples were sent to UP-PGC, sequenced after an anonymized selection, and detected with the Delta variant. With this, the DOH is amending the previous total Delta variant cases from 216 to 215,” the DOH said.
Meantime, of the new 113 Alpha variant cases detected, about 104 were local cases, while eight are being verified as either local or ROF cases.
Based on the case line list, two cases have died while 111 have been tagged as recovered.
“Apart from this, an Alpha variant case tested from one laboratory had two samples that were both sequenced. With this, the total Alpha variant case as of July 29 is updated from 1,856 to 1,855,” the DOH said.
To date, the Alpha variant, first detected in the UK, cases in the country is now 1,968.
For the 122 Beta variant cases, 104 are local cases, four ROFs and 14 cases are being verified as either local or ROF cases.
All cases have been tagged as recovered.
The total Beta variant cases are now at 2,268.
Nine of the 10 P.3 variant cases are local cases, and one is being verified as either local or ROF case.
All cases have been tagged as recovered.
The DOH said while community transmission of the Delta variant is being studied, the national government together with the local government units should act aggressively as if there is already community transmission.
The public is urged to continue practicing the minimum public health standards at all times to prevent the spread of Covid-19. (PNA)
