19 Delta cases detected in Lapu-Lapu City — Chan

CEBU, Philippines — Nineteen cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant have been detected in Lapu-Lapu City’s 10 barangays, said Mayor Junard Chan.

The mayor said the virus penetrated the villages of Basak, Babag, Looc, Pajo, Marigondon, Pusok, Bankal, Mactan, Agus, and Maribago.

But he assured that some of those afflicted by the deadly variant had already recovered from the disease.

Others, he said, are still recovering at the city’s isolation centes and hospitals.

With the presence of Delta and the rising coronavirus cases here, Chan stressed the importance of following the health protocols.

He also encouraged his constituents to get vaccinated, saying there is continuing evidence that vaccination helps to prevent serious disease/symptoms when one gets infected.

“Follow health protocols, hugot na pag-ampo, hugot na pag amping, ug bakunado ka, [Follow health protocols, fervent prayers, being careful, and being vaccinated]” he said.

Also, he asked for the public’s cooperation in fighting against the virus.

“I take this opportunity nga manawagan ta sa atong mga kaigsuonan, nga magtinabangay ta niining atong problema nga gi-atubang karon, nga naa pa si COVID -19 ug naay bag-o nga variant,” he said.  [I take this opportunity to call on our brothers that we help each other in this problem that we are facing today as COVID-19 is still here and there is a new variant.]

The good news is that more residents are getting vaccinated.

The city inoculated 7,000 individuals on July 30, which was 1,000 more than the previous 6,000 per day vaccination.

Chan also urged those who already have QR (quick response) codes to send them to the city mayor’s Facebook account for their scheduled vaccination.

Ventilation protocol

Meanwhile, Department of Health-7 chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche said public utilities and transportation groups should strictly adhere to the implementation of ventilation protocols as Delta strain can spread including brief encounters of contaminated aerosols.

Citing reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), Loreche said the “Three Cs” where transmission of the virus can spread more easily. These are crowded places, close-contact settings, and confined or enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.

“We have to educate everybody that air-conditioned areas are not the norms anymore but alfresco [outdoor] is, but even if you are in alfresco, you should be mindful to wear your facemasks properly and a physical distancing and the hand washing should still be implemented,” said Loreche in her daily briefing at the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC).

Loreche, also the VVOC spokesperson, showed details from the Guardian Australia stating that COVID particles can linger in the air in an aerosolized (physical substance in the form of particles carried in the air) form for up to 16 hours, denoting that ventilation is required.

“Heto po ang rason kung bakit pino-promote po natin ang outdoor dining, at ang mga sasakyan na pampubliko ay hindi muna gumamit ng air-conditioned. Ang ating mga utilities or ang ating mga transport groups, mahalaga po iyan na kailangan bukas po ang bintana at alfresco din po tayo unless na meron na tayong HEPA filter,” she said.

HEPA, which stands for high efficiency particulate air, is a type of pleated mechanical air filter.

Loreche said there is no confirmed timeline of how long a COVID-19 virus survives on surfaces. But information from WHO shows the virus can survive on surfaces for a few hours up to several days depending on varied conditions (e.g., type of surface, temperature, or humidity of the environment).

She also cited particular words from Professor Raina Macintyre, an epidemiologist, saying, “in an indoor space where the ventilation is not adequate, somebody with the infection could have come and gone, but the virus is still lingering in the air. So, if you walk through that area and you breathe that air, you could get infected by”.

Loreche added that the heighten regulations state that “if you’re having people over, you must open the window and if you’re driving in a car with people, open the window, even a little bit and wearing facemask is necessary.” — Jomelou Menorias, CNU Comm Intern, KQD (FREEMAN)