By Ma. Teresa Montemayor | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Another 633 more cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus have been recorded nationwide, a health official said on Monday (Oct. 18).
In an online media forum, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said a total of 748 samples were collected on Oct. 16.
Of the samples collected and sequenced, about 633 or 84.36% were Delta variant cases, three or 0.40% were Alpha variant cases, and six or 0.80% were Beta variant cases.
A total of 17,147 samples have been sequenced and 88.46 percent or 15,168 were listed with lineages as of Oct. 17.
“Incoming international travelers comprise 962 or 5.61 percent [samples sequenced for variants],” Vergeire said.
Vergeire noted that all regions and all cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region (NCR) either have Alpha or Beta variants detected.
The Delta variant, initially detected from returning overseas Filipinos, is now detected in all 17 regions and all NCR cities and a lone municipality.
Also, the P.3 variant, which was initially observed in only one region in the country, is now detected in all regions. (PNA) – bny
