The Department of Health (DOH) said Monday highly infectious Delta variant had been detected in 13 out of 17 regions in the Philippines.
“Local Delta cases have been detected in 13 out of our 17 regions in the country,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing.
According to DOH, 355 of the 450 Delta variant cases are local, 69 are returning overseas Filipinos, and 26 are still undergoing verification.
The local cases were detected in the following areas:
- Metro Manila – 146 cases
- Cordillera region – 1 case
- Region 1 – 5 cases
- Region 2 – 1 case
- Region 3 – 39 cases
- Region 4A – 47 cases
- Region 5 – 1 case
- Region 6 – 36 cases
- Region 7 – 37 cases
- Region 8 – 11 cases
- Region 9 – 3 cases
- Region 10 – 22 cases
- Region 11 – 6 cases
The DOH official said 35 fully vaccinated individuals acquired Delta variant while 17 have received one dose and 83 are unvaccinated. Meanwhile, 315 are still undergoing verification.
Fifty-five percent or 248 of the cases are male. Vergeire added the ages of the Delta variant patients ranged from less than 1 year old to 84 years old.
Delta variant detected in 13 of 17 in PH regions – DOH
The DOH also reported one additional Delta variant death but did not provide further details.
“Among the 450 Delta variant cases in our country, 426 have recovered, 10 have died, while 13 remain to be active after validation and repeat RT-PCR… The outcome of one case is still being verified,” Vergeire said.
Last week, DOH confirmed Delta variant of COVID-19 had been found in all cities and towns in Metro Manila.
Most of the total 331 Delta variant cases have reportedly recovered, and only a dozen remain active in the country.
“11 are asymptomatic while one has mild symptoms. Apat po ay galing sa NCR, anim po ay galing sa Region III, isa po ay galing sa Region IV-A at isa po ay galing sa Region VI,” said Vergeire.
It was first reported by infectious diseases expert Dr. Edsel Salvana that the Delta variant is “three times more contagious than the original COVID-19 virus”. He said it could infect eight people in just a few minutes.
Apart from the hundreds of Delta variant cases, only 113 Alpha variant cases were detected, including 122 Beta variant cases. It is equally contagious as variants of concern, but the Delta variant is the most contagious.
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