DOH detects 55 new COVID-19 Delta variant cases, total cases at 119

(FILE) The Addas 2-C subdivision in Barangay Molino II, Bacoor, Cavite is placed into a granular lockdown for surveillance and immediate isolation on July 24, 2021, after a resident was infected with the highly contagious and transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant. RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday said 55 new COVID-19 Delta variant cases were detected as the country struggle to contain the local transmission of the highly contagious variant.

The total number of Delta variant cases is now at 119 after the DOH earlier confirmed the variant’s local transmission.

DOH said of the 55 new cases, one case has died while the 54 cases were already tagged as recovered.

Of the 55 new Delta variant cases, 37 are local cases, 17 are Returning overseas Filipinos (ROF) and one case is still being verified.

According to the DOH, most of the 37 local cases are from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) with 14 cases. Eight cases are from Northern Mindanao, six cases with indicated addresses in Metro Manila, six from Central Luzon, two from the Davao Region, and one from the Ilocos Region.

“With the establishment of the local transmission of the Delta variant, we need a swifter implementation of our response strategies,” the DOH said in a statement.

Other variants

Aside from the Delta variant cases, the DOH also recorded 94 Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant cases; 179 Beta (B.1.351) variant cases; and nine P.3 variant cases in the latest batch of whole-genome sequencing being conducted by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC).

For the additional 94 Alpha variant cases, 87 are local cases, one ROF, while the six are currently being verified if they are local or ROF cases. Of the 94 cases, one remains active, two cases died, and 91 cases have been tagged as recovered.

The total number of Alpha variant cases is now at 1,775, according to DOH.

As for the additional 179 Beta variant cases, 168 were local cases, four were ROFs, and seven cases are currently being verified if they are local or ROF cases. DOH said of the 179, two are still active cases, one has died, 175 have been tagged as recovered, while the outcome of one case is still being verified.

The total Beta variant cases are now at 2,019.

The additional nine P.3 variant cases are local cases that have been tagged as recovered, according to DOH.

“Samples with more recent collection dates and those from areas with spikes were prioritized to determine the presence and spread of these variants in these areas, the DOH noted.

To date, the UP-PGC has sequenced a total of 9,351 samples this year.

The Philippines on Sunday reported a total of 1,548,755 COVID-19 cases, including 54,262 active cases, 1,467,269 recoveries, and 27,224 deaths.

/MUF