2 Delta cases detected in Pampanga

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — Two cases of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 have been recorded in Pampanga.

This was revealed during a committee hearing of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, citing records from the Department of Health (DOH)-Central Luzon office.

One of the patients is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who returned from the Middle East.

The OFW, who reportedly went home to this city, is waiting for the result of another swab test.

Early this week, the municipal government of Mexico announced that an 18-year-old resident was infected with the Delta variant.

The patient has been on quarantine in Metro Manila since June 20.

The DOH has recorded more than 60 cases of the Delta variant across the country.

Pampanga recorded 116 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. The total active cases in the province is now 2,042.

Unvaccinated cop dies

Meanwhile, a policeman assigned in Quezon province has died of COVID-19 two days after he took a swab test.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday the 40-year-old member of the Quezon Provincial Mobile Force Company in
Gumaca, who was not vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine, died due to severe pneumonia at the Alabat Island District Hospital on Monday.

A total of 81 PNP personnel have succumbed to the virus since last year, 51 of them since January.

The PNP recorded 917 active cases after PNP members tested positive for the virus.

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar urged police officers to take extra precautions after the government announced the local transmission of the Delta variant.

At least 30,010 PNP personnel have been infected since last year, of whom 29,012 or 96.67 percent have recovered.

Eleazar said 33,711 PNP members are now fully vaccinated while 47,888 have received their first dose.

Negative antigen test

In Aklan, residents who work in Boracay will now be required to present a negative antigen test.

Acting Mayor Frolibar Bautista of Malay said he would issue an executive order on the antigen test requirement to be effective starting tomorrow.

On the other hand, workers in Boracay who reside outside Aklan will be required to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test result.

Bautista noted that a number of those who recently contracted the virus were returning workers.

Aklan logged the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Western Visayas in the past few weeks. – Emmanuel Tupas, Jennifer Rendon