ILOILO City – There are now four variants of the virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas – the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Theta (P.3) variant.
As of this writing, the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 6 confirmed 28 cases of the Alpha variant, 24 of which were local cases. These were from Antique (seven), Guimaras (five), Negros Occidental (one), and Iloilo province (11).
Meanwhile, there were 29 reported cases of the Beta (B.1.351) variant in the region but only 23 were verified. These were in Iloilo province (13), Guimaras (four), Aklan (two), and one each from Antique, Capiz, Negros Occidental and Iloilo City.
Two local cases of the Delta variant – an elderly couple – were earlier detected in Antique’s Pandan town. The wife died while the husband recovered. It was May 29 when they tested positive for COVID-19. Their specimen was sent to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) for sequencing on June 11. On July 16, the PGC confirmed they had the Delta variant.
Nine cases of the Theta variants were detected in the region. Three of these were from Negros Occidental, two each from Aklan and Antique, and one each from Iloilo city and province.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with partners, expert networks, national authorities, institutions and researchers have been monitoring and assessing the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It has identified four variants of concern. These are the following:
* Alpha – initially detected in the United Kingdom
* Beta – initially detected in South Africa in December 2020
* Gamma – initially identified in travelers from Brazil who were tested during routine screening at an airport in Japan, in early January
* Delta – initially identified in India in December 2020
These variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States.
The P.3 or Theta variant which was detected first in the Philippines as variant of interest was downgraded to alert for further monitoring.
During yesterday’s “town hall session” with the local media, officer-in-charge Althea De Guzman of the DOH’s COVID-19 Surveillance and Quick Action Unit said the one being watched keenly is the Delta variant which is highly transmissible.
The session was also joined by DOH undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire; DOH-6 director, Dr. Adriano Suba-an; National Institutes of Health executive director, Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-Dela Paz; PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Palmes-Saloma; members of the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group; and official from the national Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 variants, Dr. Annaliza Ong Lim.
DELTA IN ANTIQUE
Suba-an reported that the regional office has identified 44 close contacts of the couple who were the first two local cases infected by the Delta variant in the region.
Suba-an said of the 44, 27 were identified in their household and community – eight were first layer contacts, 17 were second layer and two third layer.
Meanwhile, a total of 17 close contacts were identified in the Justice Calixto O. Zaldivar Hospital (JCOZH), where the couple was admitted.
Eleven out of the 17 contacts in JCOZH tested positive for COVID-19.
But according to Suba-an, all identified close contacts have completed their mandatory 14-day quarantine and they all have recovered.
LOCKDOWN
There are parameters to determine what community quarantine classification a place would be imposed on, Vergeire reiterated.
“Dapat very objective tayo sa nangyayari ngayon sa panahon natin… hindi tayo pwede umakto base sa impulse or takot na ating nararamdaman sa ngayon,” she said.
She cited that in Western Visayas, the stricter community quarantine classification in the city and province of Iloilo was not just because of the Delta variant.
She noted that they have also considered the two-week growth rate, average daily attack rate, as well the hospital care utilization rate of the areas which warrant the said classifications.
Aside from this, they also considered the other variants of COVID-19 already in the region.
She also cited that it is also important that the areas concerned can adequately manage the situation.
“Therefore, kon nakita po natin na medyo kailangan ng tulong tsaka po tayo nag–e-employ or naglalagay ng stricter quarantine classifications,” Vergeire added.
She emphasized that lockdowns are done not only to prevent further transmission but “prepare our healthcare system”.
“They will be working towards increasing the capacity of their hospital system, ipapataas ang level ng mga hospitals, dadagdagan ng resources para meron po tayong panlaban kon sakaling tataas ang kaso,” she added.
Asked if there’s a need for a lockdown because of the new variants in Region 6, Vergeire said, “We are already doing that, but we need to have an objective basis kaya kung hindi lahat ng nakitaan ng Delta variant ay may closure of border or stricter quarantine, tinitingnan pa rin po natin ang kakayanan ng bawat area na ‘yon.”/PN
