COVID-19 Delta variant may hit PH; contact tracing needs boost — NTF adviser

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA, Philippines — The highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant may eventually enter the Philippines, thus, the government must intensify its contact tracing efforts to prevent further transmission, National Task Force against COVID-19 adviser Ted Herbosa said Thursday.

“I think ‘yung Delta [variant], talagang eventually baka makapasok ‘yan, ang next step ay paigtingin ‘yung contact tracing, yung test-trace-and-treat, ma-test na agad sila, ma-isolate sila at mapigilan at mahanap lahat sila para mahinto natin ‘yung transmission nitong bagong variant na ito,” he said in a televised public briefing.

(I think the Delta variant would eventually enter the Philippines. The next step would be to intensify contact tracing, the test-trace-treat strategy, so infected individuals could be tested, isolated, and further transmission would be stemmed.)

National Task Force against COVID-19 adviser Dr. Teodoro Herbosa (Photo from his Facebook account)

Currently, the Department of Health (DOH) so far has reported 19 cases of the variant, all of which were detected from returning overseas Filipinos.

There is no local or community transmission of the variant in the country, so far.

Herbosa pointed out that 90 countries have also reported cases of the Delta variant .

While the government implements strict border control and quarantine restrictions to prevent the entry of the variant, the government should also prepare in case the Delta variant invades the country, Herbosa said.

“Kailangan mag-ingat pa rin tayo. We need to keep our border control strict pero aside from that, kailangan tuluy-tuloy pa rin ang pagsuot ng face masks, face shield at ‘wag masyadong magpunta sa matataong lugar, very important din na palakasin natin ‘yung testing at contact tracing natin,” the NTF adviser said.

(We need to be careful. We need to keep our border control strict but aside from that, we need to continue wearing face masks, shields and avoid going to populous places. It is also important that we strengthen our testing and contact tracing efforts.)

Currently, the government task force is preparing for a possible surge of COVID-19 cases due to the emerging variants, such as updating the inventory of available stock of personal protective equipment, oxygen supply, medicine, ventilators, quarantine facilities.

The task force is also reviewing available funds of agencies needed to conduct testing for coronavirus, Herbosa said.

The Philippine Genome Center is also continuously monitoring and conducting its biosurveillance of COVID-19 samples, he added.

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