Rise in QC COVID cases is due to ‘home transmission,’ says tracing exec
FILE PHOTO: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.
MANILA, Philippines — The increase of COVID-19 cases in Quezon City is due to home transmission where household contacts of a patient also contract the virus, an official said on Tuesday.
Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit head Rolly Cruz said that from a daily case average of 150 cases a day two weeks ago, the city now has an average of more than 180 cases a day.
“Ay naku, ano po, home transmission, talagang magkakamag-anak, magkakapamilya po ang tinatamaan ngayon,” Cruz said over Teleradyo when asked the reason behind the increase.
(It’s because of home transmission, they are relatives, family members who usually belong to the same household contract the virus .)
Cruz said this is in contrast to the previous surge of cases in the country being propelled with transmission in the workplace.
“Ngayon puro ano, sa isang compound, magkakamag-anak, isang pamilya,” he said. “So pag nagkaroon ng isang positive, halos lahat sila nagpo-positive na din po.”
(But now, those who tested positive belong to the same compound and usually relatives. When one tested positive, almost everyone in the household would test positive too.)
The Quezon City Government on Monday reported its first COVID-19 Delta variant case.
Following the reported Delta variant case, the Quezon City council will also amend the guidelines in the city to prohibit home quarantine for symptomatic patients, according to Cruz.
“Ang papayagan na lang po ay asymptomatic close contacts, pero lahat po ng may sintomas, suspect cases, probable at confirmed, ipu-pull out at dadalhin sa quarantine facility,” he said.
(We will only allow asymptomatic close contacts, but those with symptoms — suspect, probable, and confirmed cases — would be pulled out and put into a quarantine facility.)
There are now 105,788 new coronavirus cases in Quezon City, including 1,647 active cases, 102,927 recoveries and 1,214 deaths, according to the city government’s latest data.
