Daily Tribune (Philippines)

First Baguio UK Variant confirmed

- BY ALDWIN QUITASOL

BAGUIO CITY — The fear and anticipati­on of many came true as Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Monday confirmed the detection in the city of the first known case of B.1.1.7 or the so-called UK variant.

According to Magalong, the variant was detected in a 30-year-old female who tested positive for coronaviru­s disease (Covid-19) on 12 February and tagged as recovered on 23 February He said contact tracing efforts had been intensifie­d to contain the spread of the more transmissi­ble variant.

In January this year, the Department of Health bared the first 17 Covid-19 UK Variant cases. There were 12 cases in Bontoc, Mountain Province and one in La Trinidad, Benguet. The source of the infection has yet to be determined. The first case in La Trinidad died on 24 January. The first 12 UK variant patients in Bontoc have already recovered.

The variant was detected in a 30-year-old female who tested positive for coronaviru­s disease on 12 February and tagged as recovered on 23 February.

In February this year, another Covid-19 UK variant was listed in La Trinidad, Benguet. This strengthen­ed the fears and assumption­s that the new variant has already entered this City.

As of 5 p.m. of Sunday, Baguio City has now listed 5,665 confirmed cases. Of the total infections in the city, there are still 260 active cases, and there were 5,300 recoveries. The city has also listed 105 Covid-19-related deaths.

Baguio City is under general community quarantine.

 ?? YAMIL LAGE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ?? A LABORATORY technician works in the production plant of the antigen that makes up the Abdala vaccine candidate for the fight against Covid-19 at the Center for Genetic Engineerin­g and Biotechnol­ogy in Havana.
YAMIL LAGE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE A LABORATORY technician works in the production plant of the antigen that makes up the Abdala vaccine candidate for the fight against Covid-19 at the Center for Genetic Engineerin­g and Biotechnol­ogy in Havana.

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