QC traces 143 contacts of COVID-19 variant patient

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 143 individuals who have had close contact with the Quezon City resident who tested positive for the COVID-19 variant were already traced by the Quezon City local government, Mayor Joy Belmonte said Saturday. 

 In the Laging Handa online press briefing, Belmonte said that the 143 individuals comprise of the “first generation” and “second generation” contacts. 

 “These comprise of close contacts or yung mga tinatawag nating first generation contacts. Ito talaga yung mga nakasama talaga ng ating pong pasyente, at yung mga second generation contacts, ito yung mga contacts ng close contacts,” Belmonte said. 

 (These are the close contacts or what we call as the first generation contacts. These are those who had interacted with the patient. And then we also tested the second generation contacts, or those who had contact with the close contacts.) 

 Also contact traced, Belmonte said, were the healthcare workers and the BHERT (Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams) who assisted the patient from the hotel where he was first quarantined to the current isolation facility where he is now staying.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

“Yung mga family members niya, bagamat hindi naman sila close contacts dahil hindi naman sila nakasama ng pasyente after coming home from Dubai, as a precautionary measure, we also tested them,” she said. 

 (The family members, though not considered close contacts because they were not with the patient after coming home from Dubai, were also tested.) 

 On Wednesday, the Department of Health confirmed that a 29-year-old male from Kamuning , Quezon City tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant, which is said to be more infectious. 

The patient left for Dubai on Dec. 27 for business purposes and returned to the Philippines last Jan. 7 via Emirates flight No. EK 332. 

7 of 8 passengers contact traced

 Belmonte added that the Quezon City local government has identified the eight Quezon City residents who were passengers of the same Emirates flight. 

 Out of the eight, seven of them have already been contact traced, the mayor added. 

File photo shows a contact tracing team of Quezon City’s City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

 “Yung isa po [pasahero] nawawala, mali yung contact details na nailagay po niya,” Belmonte said of the eight passenger. 

 (One passenger cannot be reached, the contact details that he gave was incorrect.)

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