2 Filipinos from KSA added to Delta variant cases in Philippines

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Two Filipinos from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. However, the two have been released from the quarantine facility after being declared well.

A statement from the Department of Health (DOH) said two new cases of the Delta variant were detected by the University of the Philippines Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) after performing genome sequencing on 7,878 COVID-19-positive samples.

The two Filipinos from KSA allegedly arrived in the Philippines on May 29, 2021, and completed the 10-day isolation period.

“They have been discharged from the quarantine facility after being tagged as recovered,” said DOH.

Due to the two new cases, the number of Delta variant cases in the country has risen to 19.

Earlier, the DOH said that there is still no local transmission of the Delta variant in the Philippines.

Besides the Delta variant, 132 new Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant cases were also discovered. Thus, in total, there are already 1,217 Alpha variant cases in the country.

2 Filipinos from KSA added to Delta variant cases in Philippines

Of the 132 new cases, 125 were local cases, one returning Filipino, and six unknown origins.

Fifteen patients with the Alpha variant died, and 117 recovered.

The Beta variant in the Philippines, on the other hand, rose to 1,386 after an increase of 119. Of that number, 111 are local cases, two are returning overseas Filipinos, and six are still being verified.

“Based on the case line list, three cases are currently active, 104 cases have been tagged as recovered, and 12 cases have died,” said DOH.

Meanwhile, the Theta variant — or the P.3 variant first detected in the Philippines — has risen to 166 due to three more cases.

The three cases are said to be local cases, and all have been cured.

“Currently, the Theta variant is not identified as a variant of concern (VOC) since more data is needed to conclude whether the variant will have significant public health implications,” DOH explained.

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