DOH confirms 466 more Delta variant cases, most tagged as 'recovered'
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Monday reported 466 more cases of the more transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19, most of which are local cases.
Authorities said the development pushed the country's total to 1,273.
Of the new numbers, 442 are local cases, 14 are Filipinos returning from overseas and 10 are still up for verification.
Metro Manila had the most additional Delta cases at 201, followed by Central Luzon with 69, Western Visayas with 52, and Calabarzon with 49.
The rest are as follows:
- Central Visayas - 19
- Mimaropa - 14
- Davao Region - 11
- Cagayan Valley - 7
- Soccsksargen - 7
- Northern Mindanao - 6
- Bicol Region - 4
- Ilocos Region - 3
"One is still active," the Department of Health said of the new cases, "eight have died, while 457 have been tagged as recovered."
It added other details are still being validated by its regional and local offices.
The detection of more Delta infections came as officials admitted there may now be community transmission of the variant that is driving a surge across Southeast Asia.
In a briefing today, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they need more evidence to formally make the call. But, she added community transmission is now observed in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.
DOH said that was based on two factors: "Large numbers of Delta cases, and case investigations and phylogenetic analysis showed these cases cannot be epidemiologically linked to each other nor source/s of infection determined."
Apart from Delta, the agency said there were also 90 cases of the Alpha variant, first seen in the United Kingdom, as well as 105 cases of the Beta or that first identified in South Africa, and 41 of the homegrown P.3., a variant "under alerts for monitoring."
- Latest
- Trending
