THE Department of Health yesterday reported an additional 466 cases of the Delta variant but still refused to declare a community transmission of the more transmissible type of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
There is community transmission when the source of the infection can no longer be traced. Local transmission is when cases still have epidemiological links.
There are now 1,273 cases of the Delta variant which was first detected in India in October last year and is now in over 100 countries.
The DOH, in a statement, said of the 455 more Delta (B.1.617.2) cases detected by the the DOH, “442 are local cases, 14 are returning overseas Filipinos (ROF), and 10 cases are currently being verified if these are local or ROF cases.”
Of the 442 locally transmitted cases, 201 cases “had indicated addresses” in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), 69 cases in Central Luzon, 52 in Western Visayas, 49 in Calabarzon, 19 in Central Visayas, 14 in Mimaropa, 11 in Davao Region, seven each in the Cagayan Valley and Soccsksargen regions, six in Northern Mindanao, four cases in Bicol Region, and three in the Ilocos Region.
One case is still active, eight have died, while 457 cases have recovered, the DOH said.
Despite the continued rise in Delta variant cases, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said government “needs further evidence” before it could declare the presence of community transmission.
She said the government’s capacity to detect variants is still limited.
For now, she said, “we are assuming that we have this community transmission.”
At most, she said, the DOH can declare the presence of a community transmission of the Delta variant only in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Calabarzon (Region 4-A).
“We have seen and observed, especially in NCR and Region 4A, na talagang mukhang community transmission na ito. Nakita natin na wala nang link ang mga kaso sa bawa’t isa.
We are seeing a clustering of cases in these two big regions (We have seen and observed, especially in NCR and Region 4A, that it appears to be a case of community transmission.
We have seen that the cases are not linked. We are seeing a clustering of cases in these two big regions),” she said.
Vergeire on Saturday said results of tests conducted by the PCG on samples, it appears there is community transmission of the disease but “enough evidence” is needed to make a declaration.
Aside from the Delta variant, the latest batch of whole genome sequencing conducted by the PGC showed additional 90 Alpha ((B.1.1.7) variant cases, 105 Beta (B.1.351), and and 41 P.3 cases.
Of the additional 90 Alpha variant cases, 89 are local cases and one case is being verified if it is a local or an ROF case.
Based on the case line list, one case is still active, one case has died, and 88 cases have been tagged as recovered.
The total Alpha variant cases is now at 2,322.
Among the additional 105 Beta variant cases, 101 were local cases and 4 cases were ROFs.
Based on the case line list, four cases have died, 99 cases have been tagged as recovered, and two cases with outcomes that are being verified. The total Beta variant cases is now 2,588.
As for the 41 additional P.3 variant cases, all were found to be local cases.
Based on the case list, 40 cases have been tagged as recovered while one case has an outcome that is being verified.
