By Christine Fabro
COVID-19 Delta variant cases were discovered in two residents in Antique, Western Visayas, about two months after testing positive for COVID-19.
In today’s (July 17) Laging Handa public briefing, Western Visayas Center for Health Development Local Health Support Division Chief Dr. Maria Sophia Pulmones said the two cases are locally transmitted.
“Based sa aming coordination sa provincial health office ng Antique, iyong dalawang kasong ito [ay] considered as local cases. Walang history of travel outside of the Philippines, so, posible na doon sila nahawa ng sakit mismo sa area nila,” Pulmones said.
Pulmones said that these two individuals tested positive for COVID-19 on May 29, while the genome sequencing report from the Department of Health (DOH) was only released on Friday (July 16).
“Based sa data na pinalabas, iyong dalawang ito were swabbed last May 28; and then iyong result was May 28, positive sila sa SARS COVID. Pero iyong sa genome sequencing, natanggap lang namin yesterday based sa report from the DOH,” she said.
The two Delta variant cases were identified as case Number 34 and case Number 35, respectively.
Case Number 34 was a 78-year-old female who succumbed to COVID-19 on May 31, while case Number 35 was a 79-year-old male who recovered from the disease on June 13.
Pulmones said that the local government unit, headed by the Provincial Health Office with the municipality’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, are doing the intensive contact tracing and back tracing. – rir
