Half of the cities and provinces across the Philippines have recorded an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.
“Kalahati na ng probinsiya natin, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities ay nagpapakita ng pagtaas ng kaso,” said Health Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“Ano po ang drivers ng pagtaas ng kaso? Unang-una, alam natin there is [variants of concern] and that is the Delta variant. We know itong Delta variant mas transmissible siya,” Vergeire explained.
The official has not yet identified the areas where the cases have risen. Still, before that, the government has subjected some areas in the country to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) – the strictest community quarantine. The ECQ will begin on August 6 in Metro Manila.
Apart from being more contagious, the viral load of a person affected by the Delta variant is also said to be higher, so the previous 15 -minute exposure to be considered close contact has changed.
“Sabi nga ng eksperto, in just a matter of seconds puwede ka nang ma-infect dahil sa dami ng viral load,” said Vergeire.
Meanwhile, the OCTA Research Group maintained that the increase in COVID-19 cases, especially in Metro Manila, can be called a surge.
Also read: COVID-19 cases in NCR up by 47%
COVID-19 cases increased in many cities, provinces: DOH
According to the group, the cities of Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela were the centers of the surge.
For a member of the DOH technical advisory group, the country’s health care utilization is not yet at a critical level, which is one of the things being looked at for a surge.
The DOH admitted that even though they have not yet said that there is community transmission of the Delta variant in the country, this is their “assumption.”
The U.S. Center for Disease Control’s study also agrees that the Delta variant is contagious with chickenpox.
“Pinakita dito na ang chickenpox can also infect up to 8 persons in just one sitting,” said Vergeire.
“We do agree to that. Nasa ebidensiya naman talaga na ang Delta variant is highly transmissible compared to the UK variant na nakakapag-infect lang ng 4 hanggang 5 persons,” she added.
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