116 more Delta variant cases detected

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported the detection of 116 Delta variant cases, bringing the total number of the highly transmissible virus in the country to 331.

Of these additional Delta cases, 95 are local cases, one is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF) while 20 others are still under verification, the DOH said.

It added that while community transmission of the Delta variant is still being studied, the national government, together with local government units, is taking aggressive measures as if there is already community transmission.

The DOH noted that 83 of the Delta variant patients indicated the National Capital Region in their addresses while three came from Calabarzon and four from Central Visayas.

Davao region posted two more Delta variant cases while Zamboanga peninsula, Cagayan Valley and Ilocos region recorded one case each.

“All cases have been tagged as recovered and all other information is being validated by our regional and local health offices,” the DOH said.

Upon verification, DOH said that one out of the 216 Delta variant cases reported last July 29, was tested in two different laboratories. Both samples were sent for sequencing after a random selection, and detected with the Delta variant (B.1.617.2.)

Aside from the Delta variant, the health agency also noted an additional 113 cases of the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant, 122 Beta (B.1.351) variant cases, and 10 P.3 variant cases in the latest batch of whole-genome sequencing.

Of the additional 113 Alpha variant cases, 104 were local, one ROF, and eight under verification.

Based on the case line list, two have died and 111 cases have been tagged as recovered.

DOH said an Alpha variant case tested from one laboratory had two samples that were both sequenced. The total Alpha variant case is 1,968.

Of the additional 122 Beta variant cases, 104 were local, four were ROFs, and 14 under verification. All cases have been tagged as recovered. The total Beta variant cases are now at 2,268.

As for the 10 additional P.3 variant cases, the DOH said nine were local cases and one was an ROF. All cases have been tagged as recovered.