BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Mayor Benjamin Magalong yesterday confirmed that Baguio had its first case of the UK variant of COVID.
Magalong said a 30-year-old woman tested positive for the UK variant on Feb. 12.
The patient recovered from the virus on Feb. 23, he added.
He said contact tracing was intensified to contain the spread of the virus, which health experts say is more infectious than the original COVID-19.
In January, the Department of Health recorded the first 17 UK variant cases in the country including 12 in Bontoc, Mountain Province and one in La Trinidad, Benguet. The source of the infection has yet to be determined.
The patient in La Trinidad died on Jan. 24. The cases in Bontoc have all recovered.
Last month, another UK variant case was detected in La Trinidad. This triggered fear among residents that the new variant had reached Baguio City.
As of Feb. 28, Baguio had 5,665 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of the total infections, 260 remain active while 5,300 recovered.
The city, which remains under general community quarantine, recorded 105 COVID-related deaths.