After re-testing some of the reported cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 last week, it turned out that 8 of them were still positive, so they are considered active cases till now by the Department of Health.
One of them is in Manila, 4 in Cagayan De Oro, 1 in Misamis Oriental, and 2 are returning overseas Filipinos.
Although they were initially considered recovered, the DOH explained that the protocol is different when a person is found to be infected with a variant of concern.
“Kapag nagkakaroon ng variants, nade-determine ang isang tao na may be variant, binabalikan sila ng epidemiology, and surveillance units so that we can assess them and we need to re-test them. Mag-quarantine until they have negative results saka sila ipapauwi,” said Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire.
Of the 3 Delta variant patients who died, 2 were found not to have been vaccinated, while 1 was still being determined to have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
So far, a total of 91 close contacts have been submitted to the DOH by local governments with Delta variant cases. Tracing is ongoing.
Since local cases of the variant have already been recorded, implementing other measures in the government’s 4-door strategy needs to be intensified.
“We’re not saying na effective lahat ng ginagawa natin pero as much as possible; we’d like to ensure na napapatupad nang maayos ng lahat ng ports of entry ang ating protocols,” said Vergeire.
8 with Delta variant last week still active cases: DOH
“Dapat intensive ‘yong pagpapatupad ng prevention, detection, isolation, and treatment and reintegration,” she added.
The DOH had earlier said that returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) would prioritize whole-genome sequencing.
But of the 7,246 ROFs that tested positive for COVID-19, only 650 samples or less than 10 percent were sequenced.
Despite this, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the situation in the Philippines is better compared to other countries.
“Kompara po sa ibang bansa sa ASEAN na nakakaranas ng malubhang pagtaas sa kaso dahil sa Delta variant, sa ngayon kasalukuyan, mas ‘di hamak na mas maayos naman po ang ating kalagayan vis-à-vis the Delta variant,” said Duque.