COVID-19 Delta variant case detected in Ilocos Norte

LAOAG CITY—Ilocos Norte has detected its first case of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant (B.1.617.2),  Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc announced on Sunday.

The province also detected one case each for the Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Beta (B.1.351) variants, the governor said in a statement on social media.

“This is what we have suspected of late as the virus [transmission] in the province is clearly not acting how it used to,” Manotoc said.

Health authorities in Ilocos Norte have yet to disclose more details of the three new variant cases.

The Department of Health (DOH) in the Ilocos region earlier reported that at least 12 patients in the province have contracted the Alpha and Beta variants since April.

In neighboring Ilocos Sur, Governor Ryan Luis Singson confirmed during a press briefing on Friday, July 23, the presence of the Alpha and Beta variants in the province which were detected from 14 COVID-19 patients.

Due to the threat of the Delta variant in the country, both Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were placed by the national COVID-19 task force under a stricter general community quarantine with heightened restrictions status from July 23 to 31, 2021.

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