DAVAO CITY (MindaNews) — The Department of Health (DOH)-Davao reported 178 additional cases of COVID-19 variants in the Davao region, two of them Delta (B.1.617.2) in Davao City.
This number brought to 265 the total cases of COVID-19 variants in the region as of July 31. In Davao City, one case of the Delta variant was earlier reported, bringing to three the total number of cases in the city .
The additional cases of variants of concern also include 48 cases of Alpha or B.1.1.7 and 128 cases of Beta or B.1.351. Of this total, Davao City logged 15 cases of Alpha and 73 cases of Beta; Davao del Sur, 5 Beta; Davao del Norte, 30 Alpha and 41 Beta; Davao de Oro, two Alpha and seven Beta; and Davao Oriental, one Alpha and two Beta.
The Alpha variant was first detected in the United Kingdom, the Beta variant in South Africa and the Delta variant in India.
The two additional Delta variant cases in the region were found in Davao City — a 47-year-old male patient and a 36-year-old female patient who were discharged last July 19 and 21, respectively.
Both patients have been brought to the temporary treatment and monitoring facility, awaiting results of their reverse transcription polymerase reaction reaction (RT-PCR) tests.
These new cases of variants of concern were detected from among the 593 specimens sent by the region for whole genome sequencing at the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) on July 1, 8, and 15.
“The DOH reiterates to all LGUs (local government units) the need to strengthen the quarantine protocols, testing and isolation. Regardless of the variant, the public is highly encouraged to enhance the adherence to the minimum public health standards to halt the transmission of COVID-19 and further prevent the emergence of new variants,” it added.
As of July 31, DOH-Davao reported 54,493 cases, 6,607 of them active, 46,087 recoveries, and 1,799 deaths.
Out of the regional total, Davao City logged 30,505 cases with 2,690 active, 26,789 recoveries and 1,026 deaths; Davao de Oro tallied 4,247 cases; Davao del Norte, 10,507; Davao del Sur 4,592; Davao Occidental 1,035; and Davao Oriental, 3,607.
The agency also encouraged the public to get vaccinated. As of July 27, DOH-Davao reported 550,493 individuals in the region had received the first dose and 221,481 are fully vaccinated. Davao City recorded 330,954 who received their first dose, and 149,122 second dose; Davao de Oro, 50,849 first dose and 18,206 second dose; Davao del Norte, 71,054 first dose and 21,614 second dose; Davao del Sur, 43,474 first dose and 15,157 second dose; Davao Occidental, 17,082 first dose and 5,551 second dose; and Davao Oriental, 37,080 first dose and 11,381 second dose. (Antonio L. Colina. IV / MindaNews)
