Antique Delta variant cases no history of outside travel
The two Delta variant cases recorded in Antique province had no history of travel outside of the Philippines prior to being infected, according to head of the Local Health Support Division of Department of Health (DOH)Center for Health Development in Region 6.
Dr. Maria Sophia Pulmones said both cases are considered local cases, and that authorities are investigating if they caught the disease in the area and if this also contributed to the increase in cases of COVID-19 in the province.
“Sa ngayon, based sa aming coordination sa Provincial Health Office ng Antique, [they] are considered as local cases. So walang history of travel outside of Philippines. Posibleng andu’n sila nahawa sa area nila,” Pulmones said.
One of the patients, tagged Delta variant Patient No. 34, is a 78-yearold female who died last May 31.
Meanwhile, the last case, Patient No. 35, completed the 14-day quarantine prescribed by government protocols, and was tagged as recovered by June 30.
Both were unvaccinated at the time, and were tested for the disease on May 28. Their genome sequencing results came out last Friday, July 16, as part of the 16 additional Delta variant cases logged in the Philippines.
Pulmones said her office is coordinating with the provincial health office of Antique to get updates on contact-tracing efforts.
“We are coordinating with LGU kung ano ang nagawa sa close contacts ng 2 Delta variant positive cases. ‘Yung recommendation is to do the third generation pero ang priority is ‘yung close contact nila,” Pulmones said.
As of Saturday, July 17, data from the DOH-6 showed the province had 2,762 total COVID-19 cases, of which are 570 active, 2,115 recovered and 75 deaths.
Meanwhile, the number of Delta COVID-19 variant patients in the Philippines stands at 35, of which includes 11 local cases tallied last Friday.
The said variant was attributed to the spike in COVID-19 cases in India, where it was first detected, and in parts of Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia where healthcare workers are battling another surge.