MANILA – Umakyat na sa 17 ang bilang ng mga tinamaan ng mas nakakahawang UK variant ng COVID-19 virus sa Pilipinas, ayon sa Department of Health (DOH).
BREAKING: DOH announces the detection of 16 additional cases of the more transmissible B.1.1.7 (UK variant) in the country.
— Christian Yosores (@chrisyosores) January 22, 2021
12 of which are those reported in Mt. Province; 2 are returning Pinoys from Lebanon; and 2 are local cases from Benguet and Laguna. | @BomboRadyoNews pic.twitter.com/o5xA6DlyNR
“Following strengthened biosurveillance activities amid the detection of the first B.1.1.7 variant in the country last January 13, the DOH, UP-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and the UP-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) today confirmed the detection of the B.1.1.7 variant in 16 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 17.”
Batay sa inilabas na press release ng ahensya, kinumpirma ng DOH ang report ng Bontoc, Mountain Province kanina na may 12 silang residente na nag-positibo sa UK variant.
Ayon sa Health department, kabilang sa 12 ang pitong lalaki at limang babae. Ang tatlo sa kanila ay nasa edad 18-anyos pababa, at tatlo ang higit 60-years old.
“Contact tracing was immediately initiated to contain the spread of the infection. Investigation is also underway to identify these cases’ exposure and travel histories.”
Samantala, dalawang returning overseas Filipino na dumating ng Pilipinas noong December 29, 2020 mula Lebanon ang na-detect din na may UK variant.
Sakay daw sila ng Philippine Airlines flight PR 8661. Ang isa sa kanila ay 64-year old na babaeng taga Jaro, Iloilo City.
“The patient was isolated in San Juan, Metro Manila and discharged on January 9.”
Ang isa pang returning Filipino ay isang 47-anyos na babaeng taga-Binangonan, Rizal na na-quarantine sa New Clark City at na-discharge noong January 13.
Kapwa local cases naman ang dalawang iba pa na nakitaan ng UK variant. Isa sa kanila ay residente ng La Trinidad, Benguet; at ang isa ay mula Calamba City, Laguna.
“Both have no known contact to any confirmed case or travel history from outside the country.”
Naka-admit na ngayon sa Benguet Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility ang isa, habang na-discharge na ang 23-anyos na lalaki sa Laguna matapos mag-negatibo sa test result noong January 16.
Mula sa 16 na nadagdag, tatlo na raw ang gumaling sa COVID-19. 13 ang active cases, kung saan tatlo ang asymptomatic, at 10 ang may mild na sintomas.
Nangako ang DOH na palalakasin pa ang biosurveillance kasama ang Philippine Genome Center para ma-detect ang mga bagong variant ng COVID-19.
“The DOH calls on local government units to ensure strict monitoring and compliance to quarantine protocols in their respective localities.”
“The DOH also reiterates that non-adherence and incorrect adherence to minimum public health standards (MPHS) are the drivers of transmission and mutation and therefore strongly urges the public to strictly and properly follow the MPHS in all settings.”
