FILE PHOTO: A logo is pictured on the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) ahead of a meeting of the Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Geneva, Switzerland, January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Health authorities in Central Visayas have already recorded a total of 83 local cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant as the World Health Organization in the Philippines (WHO – Philippines) declared on Tuesday, August 30 that the mutation is now the dominant strain in the country.
The Department of Health in the region (DOH-7) confirmed that they detected additional 24 cases of COVID-19 that are infected with the B.1.167.2 mutation of the virus, the scientific tag for the Delta variant.
Of this number, four were recorded from Negros Oriental and another four in Bohol. The rest were from the island-province Cebu which includes Cebu City (13), Mandaue City (1), and Cebu province (2).
The Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (RESU) also reported two Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) bound for Central Visayas who tested positive of the Delta variant while being quarantined in Metro Manila.
“We have 26 new cases of Delta variants. 24 local, 2 ROFs. Date of swab from July 9-August 9, 2021,” the RESU said.
This development brings the total number of locally detected Delta variant cases in Central Visayas to 83.
If to include the number of ROFs who tested positive of the mutation, and whose addresses are in the region, the number jumps to 99.
Except for two mortalities, most of these cases, according to the regional health office, have already recovered.
“The cases were endorsed to their respective LGUs and contact tracing activities are currently conducted by different LGUs. The mayors, MHOs, and PHOs were also informed of their cases,” RESU added.
On Tuesday, WHO – Philippines announced that community transmission of the COVID-19 Delta variant is already evident in the country, considering the high numbers of Delta cases being detected in sequenced samples.
“We know that the most recent data from the Philippine Genome Center, although with limited sample, indicates that more than 70 percent of the current transmission is attributable to the Delta variant,” WHO country representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said in a media briefing.
Abeyasinghe also said that the Delta variant “has emerged as the dominant variant” in the Philippines.
Health authorities have detected the Delta variant in all regions except the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. However, DOH said this could be due to the low number of samples being submitted by the region.
DOH has so far confirmed a total of 1,789 Delta variant cases in the country, including 38 that remain active. / with reports from INQUIRER.net
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