Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 22) — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said there is no local transmission yet of the Delta variant in the country despite the presence of locally-acquired cases, but he believes it is better to act as if it is already spreading so Filipinos will become more vigilant.
“Wala pa tayo, we cannot say that. But it’s good to assume there is. As we ramp up our response, our capacities, we need to assume na meron nang local transmission. But there is yet no evidence to establish,” he said in an ambush interview.
[Translation: We don’t have that yet, we cannot say that, but it’s good to assume there is. As we ramp up our response, our capacities, we need to assume that there is already a local transmission although there is no evidence yet.]
This statement was made prior to the Department of Health’s announcement of another 12 local Delta cases in the country. There are now 47 Delta cases in the country with three deaths.
The official said there is an ongoing investigation if the local cases caught the virus from incoming travelers who were infected with the Delta variant since they have no recent travel history. He stressed that if proven that it is the case, it is still no reason to skip following minimum public health standards.
“Just because ma-link mo siya to an international traveler, you let your guard down. You don’t. So you continue to assume there is transmission,” he said.
[Translation: Just because you can link it to an international traveler doesn’t mean you let your guard down. You continue to assume there is already transmission.]
Duque did not discount the possibility the Delta variant will eventually overtake the Beta variant as the most dominant in the country. But he said the government is continuously working to improve its COVID-19 response, improve the healthcare capacity, and increase the supply of oxygen tanks to better deal with a possible surge.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante, meanwhile, said the recent increase in COVID-19 cases could be driven by the more infectious Delta variant.
“I highly speculate that with the character, the transmissibility of the Delta variant, I highly speculate that there are already local transmissions of the Delta variant,” he told CNN Philippines.
Solante, a member of the Department of Science and Technology’s vaccine experts panel, said the government should fast track its vaccination program and urged those eligible for inoculation to receive their shots do so as soon as possible because it can protect them from the Delta variant. Solante also said Delta is seen as the most transmissible variant and associated with increased hospitalization.
“We know that when you are vaccinated, you have protection even against the Delta variant. Chances are those who develop severe symptoms, who will be admitted to hospitals, I am sure these are the unvaccinated persons,” he said.
He also said Sinovac, which is the country’s biggest vaccine stockpile, remains effective against the dreaded variant.
“Even if you say that you have 50% or 65% prevention of infection, that’s still better than not getting the vaccine. I am confident Sinovac can still protect us against this variant,” he added.
