Navotas logs 11 new virus strains

MANILA, Philippines — Navotas registered 11 cases of the new variants of COVID-19, Mayor Toby Tiangco reported yesterday.

Tiangco said there are 10 cases of the B117 or the UK variant and another case of B1351 or the South African strain in the city.

The following barangays reported having the new strains: Bagumbayan South, Daanghari, Navotas East, Navotas West, NBBS Kaunlaran, San Jose and Sipac Almacen.

Tiangco urged his constituents to keep safe from the more infectious COVID-19 variants by strictly following health protocols.

There were 939 active cases in Navotas as of Sunday.

Caloocan subdivisions shut down

In Caloocan, two residential areas were placed on lockdown amid the rising cases of COVID-19.

Mayor Oscar Malapitan visited yesterday Kingstown 2, Barangay 171, which was put on lockdown until March 28.

Queensville Subdivision in the same barangay was also locked down.

Malapitan said the city government would provide food assistance to the affected residents.

City hall will conduct free swab testing on Thursday in Barangay 176 to trace possible infections in the area.

Around 100 residents availed themselves of free swab tests yesterday in Barangay 179.

There were 1,005 active cases in Caloocan as of Sunday.

Manila vaccination

In Manila, personnel of the disaster risk reduction and management office, social workers and jail officers have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, Mayor Isko Moreno said.

Moreno said senior citizens would be next to be vaccinated.

City health department data showed that around 2,150 medical frontliners at the Ospital ng Maynila and Sta. Ana Hospital are expected to be inoculated with AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.

Moreno said 5,406 health workers in Manila have received COVID-19 vaccines since the start of the inoculation last February.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recorded 45 active cases of COVID-19.

Of the number, DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay Villar said two are undergoing treatment in the hospital while the rest are isolated at home.

Last week, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra suspended work in the DOJ after several employees contracted the disease. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Evelyn Macairan