By Christine Fabro
The Department of Health (DOH) ensured that there is no community transmission of COVID-19 Delta variant cases yet in the country.
In a Laging Handa public briefing today (July 31), DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said enough evidence is needed to declare a community transmission of the Delta variant.
“We need enough evidence for us to pronounce na may community transmission; may implikasyon din po kasi sa international health regulation natin,” Vergeire said.
Instead, local transmission is being detected in the genome sequencing.
“Sa ngayon po, we have the local transmission kung saan nakikita pa natin ang pagkaka-link ng bawat isang kaso na mayroon tayong genome sequence na positive sa isa’t-isa,” she said.
Community transmission will be declared, so long as evidence proves that the individuals who were detected with COVID-19 Delta variant are not linked to each other.
“Darating po tayo diyan sa pagdedeklara ng community transmission if we are able to provide evidence already that we cannot link these individuals to each other anymore at saka nakikita na natin na talagang kalat na iyong extent nitong variant na ito,” Vergeire said.
Vergeire reiterated that the current genome sequencing is purposive, wherein only 1% of the COVID-19 cases in the country are being sequenced. –rir
