The Covid-19 Delta variant has started to spread locally in Cebu City, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed.
DOH Region VII’s Chief Pathologist, Dr. Mary Jean Lorech, said what led to their conclusion was those who tested positive with the Delta variant have neither had a history of travel nor contact with persons who have traveled. They have not had contact with persons who contracted the variant either.
“Base kasi sa ating datos ng mga nag-positive sa Delta variant ay actually people who [had neither] history of travel [nor] do they had histories of contact with [those] confirmed positive [with the] Delta variant…”
(Based on our data, those who tested positive with the Delta variant were those who [had neither] history of travel [nor] do they had a history of contact with [those] confirmed positive [with the] Delta variant…)
As of July 28, there had been 36 confirmed Delta cases, which were already considered recovered since they were asymptomatic. The doctor says contact tracing and quarantine of suspected persons were immediately conducted, as they have always done regardless of variant.
“So 36 po yung naitalang Delta variants from the first samples na nakuha natin. Pero, sila po ay considered as recovered since karamihan naman sa kanila ay asymptomatic… ‘Yung ating protocol [for suspected cases] ay pare-pareho naman po.”
(So 36 Delta variant cases were recorded from our first samples. But they are already considered as recovered since most of them were asymptomatic… Our protocol [for suspected cases] have been always the same.)
The increase, she says, was likely caused by less vigilance due to Covid fatigue, relaxed attitude of fully vaccinated individuals, lack of border controls, and delay in measures as cases arise.
As of August 10, the DOH recorded 14,610 active cases in Central Visayas, with Cebu City (3,818) having the highest. Dunston Chi Esquivel