MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) recorded the first death case in the country due to the new variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Monday.
DOH undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the first casualty was an 84-year-old patient from La Trinidad, Benguet who died because of the virus sometime in the third or fourth week of January.
The patient was among the additional eight United Kingdom (UK) variant cases identified by the health department last week.
“Nung kausap natin ‘yung regional office natin, they said this person never went out, seldom. Nandun lang daw sa loob ng bahay at walang ibang contact,” Vergeire said.
“Tinitignan natin (kung) ano ‘yung source ng infection and ano ang ibang circumstances,” she added.
“As to these 25 cases detected with the UK variant, we have two remaining active cases, we have one who died, (while) the rest, the 22 have already recovered,” Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.
Apart from the UK variant, five other variants are being monitored across the globe namely South Africa’s 501Y.V2, Malaysia’s 1701V, Nigeria’s P681H, Denmark’s Cluster 5 and China: D614G, which is most widespread and dominant./PN
