DOH reports 12 more local Delta variant cases; total now 47

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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday the detection of 12 additional Delta variant cases among latest samples of coronavirus cases that went through genome sequencing.

This brings the total number of Delta variant cases in the country to 47, Alpha variant to 1,668, Beta to 1,827, and P.3 variant to 233. The number of Gamma variant cases remains at two.

Of the 12 additional Delta variant cases, six have indicated addresses in Central Luzon, two in Calabarzon, one in Bicol Region, and three in Metro Manila.

Aside from Delta variants, experts likewise found 187 new Alpha variant cases, 142 Beta variant cases, and 12 P.3 variant cases

“All cases have been tagged as recovered but their outcomes are being validated by our regional and local health offices,” the DOH said in a statement.

“With the detection of additional cases, it is crucial that we implement enhanced response immediately in the areas where these cases were detected and its contiguous LGUs as well as areas with case spikes with the premise that there may be ongoing local transmission already,” the agency added.

Health authorities are on the watch for the spread of the Delta variant that was first detected in India as experts say it could be up to 60 percent more transmissible than the Alpha variant.

On the Alpha variant, the DOH said 179 of the additional cases of the variant first detected in the United Kingdom are local cases and eight are still being verified if they are local cases or from returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs).

According to the agency, 54 cases have died while 133 were tagged as recovered.

Of the new cases of the Beta variant — first detected in South Africa — 134 are local cases and eight are still being verified if they are local or ROF cases. The DOH said 21 of them have died and 121 have recovered.

Meanwhile, 11 of the additional P.3 variant cases were detected locally. Authorities are still trying to verify if the other case is a local or ROF case. All the 12 new cases have been tagged as recovered.

The World Health Organization earlier reclassified the P.3 variant, first detected in the Philippines, from a variant of interest to simply an “alert for further monitoring.” The DOH said this variant is currently being investigated and experts are continuously collecting information about it to monitor its implication to public health.

The University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center (UP-PCG) has so far sequenced a total of 8,930 samples, according to DOH.

The DOH said there are currently eight active cases of the Delta variant, 18 cases of the Alpha variant, 17 cases of the Beta variant, and 1 case of the P.3 variant in the country. The two cases of Gamma variant, first detected in Brazil, are both recovered cases.

“The DOH reminds the public that as the government continually strengthens our healthcare capacity, the minimum public health standards and getting vaccinated when it is our turn are still the best defense against any variant,” the department said in a statement.

EDV