ALL 17 regions of the country now have cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, with the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) reporting yesterday that two cases have been detected in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Dr. Cynthia Saloma, PGC executive director Dr. Cynthia Saloma, said samples of the two detected cases in BARRM were collected back in July but said details are the Department of Health.
Earlier this week, the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health said the Delta variant has been detected in all the regions except BARMM. It said this is likely because only a few samples are being sent by BARMM for whole genome sequencing.
Saloma said the agency is set operationalize its branch in Mindanao later this month. She said PGC-Mindanao will be able to do a weekly sequencing of 350 swab samples.
“I think we will soon have a better grasp of cases there in Mindanao,” said Saloma.
Meanwhile, Saloma said the PCG is closely monitoring developments on the “Mu” variant of COVID-19.
First identified in Colombia in January, the Mu (B.1.621) variant has been classified as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization.
Saloma said it is not yet a cause for alarm like the other variants of concern “as it has not been associated with any local spike.”
Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc said the city has 32 Delta cases from 13 towns.
He did not say how many are active cases.
The province is on an extended localized enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until September 7.
At the”Laging Handa” press briefing, Manotoc said the province is operating under the assumption that is widespread Delta infection because there has been a surge of COVID-19 cases in the province for about a month now.
Manotoc said genome sequencing results usually come three weeks late.
Ilocos Norte has recorded some 15,400 COVID-19 cases since last year, including 3,390 active cases and 212 deaths.
Manotoc said the number of new cases is still high but is going down and recoveries “are far higher than our new cases which obviously is a good sign.”
