Two close contacts of Delta variant patient from Misamis Oriental get COVID-19

FILE PHOTO: This undated transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S. NIAID-RML/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA, Philippines — Two close contacts of the COVID-19 Delta variant patient from Misamis Oriental have tested positive for SARS Cov2, the virus that causes the disease, the province’s Governor Bambi Emano said Wednesday.

In a televised briefing, Emano said the samples of the two close contacts were already sent to Manila for genome sequencing.

“Bale lima sila sa bahay and apat po ang kasama niya. Dalawa nag-negative, dalawa nag-positive. Yung dalawa na nag-positive po, pinadala na po namin yung samples dyan sa Manila and hopefully pagbalik non, we will be able to know if it [variant] has already spread in the family,” Emano said.

(They are five at home so the patient has four other companions. Two tested negative while the other two tested positive. The samples of the two persons who tested positive were already sent to Manila and hopefully when that comes back, we will know if the variant has already spread in the family.)

The Philippines has so far detected 35 COVID-19 Delta variant cases, 11 of which were “local cases.”

Of the local cases, the Department of Health said five cases were detected in Cagayan de Oro, one in Misamis Oriental, two cases in Metro Manila, one case has an address in Central Luzon but tested in Metro Manila, and two more cases in Antique.

Malacañang said stricter restrictions will likely be reimposed due to the presence of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

JPV