Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 23) — The Department of Health on Friday said it has established the sources of some Delta variant infections, such as the transmission of the virus from an overseas Filipino who returned to the country and an infected worker who went home to their family.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said some returning overseas Filipinos carrying the highly contagious variant were able to infect other people. This happened despite the stringent testing and quarantine protocols for incoming travelers.
“Nakita natin na meron tayong mga onward transmissions coming from returning overseas Filipinos. Kapag sinabing onward transmissions, ibig sabihin hindi nag-stay ang infection sa sarili niya, nakapanghawa siya,” she said in a media briefing.
[Translation: We saw onward transmissions coming from returning overseas Filipinos. This means the infection did not stop with that person, they were able to infect other people.]
The health official said there was also a clustering of cases due to a wake.
“Nagkaroon din tayo ng isang returning overseas Filipino na umuwi dito dahil namatay ang kanyang nanay. Pagkatapos non, ang nanay niya, bestfriend ang asawa ng nagkaroon ng sakit sa isang lugar sa ating bansa. Noong umattend ng wake ang asawa ng nagkasakit, doon nag-umpisa ulit ang cluster of infection dito sa lugar na ito,” Vergeire said.
[Translation: There was one OFW who went home after the mother died. The mother has a bestfriend. That person’s spouse got infected. When the partner of the patient attended the wake, the cluster of infection started.
She also said a worker infected their family members at home, which also created a cluster of Delta variant cases.
“For example, itong ating cluster of infection na isa na may Delta variant, nakitaan natin na merong isang kapamilya na nagtatrabaho sa isang lugar at umuwi sa kanilang pwesto at doon po ay sila ay nagkaroon ng pagkakahawa-hawa. That is a link,” Vergeire said.
[Translation: In one Delta variant cluster, we saw one family member who worked outside and went home and infected others.]
Clustering of cases have been recorded in Northern Mindanao with 6 confirmed Delta cases and Antique with two cases.
Meanwhile, DOH Calabarzon Director Eduard Janairo said two Delta cases were logged in Calamba, Laguna. The matriarch tested positive for COVID-19 in late June. Her husband and child later yielded a positive COVID-19 result and found with the feared variant. The 57-year-old mother who had colon cancer and diabetes died so her samples couldn’t be checked for the presence of any variant.
There are ongoing validations of the links of other cases, especially for those without any recent history of travel.
Local transmission, contact tracing
DOH said the establishment of these links confirm the local transmission of the variant in the country.
“We are seeing through philogenetic analysis the narrative kung bakit nagkakahawa-hawa ang mga tao at nakita natin at na-establish natin na meron na tayong identified linkage between and among these cases that we have for Delta variant kaya tayo ay nakapaganunsyo that there is local transmission,” Vergeire said.
[Translation: Through philogenetic analysis, we are seeing the narrative of how it spread. We can establish that we have identified the linkage in the Delta variant cases so we announced that there is local transmission.]
Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante stressed the need for early detection of the cases due to the high viral load of patients with Delta variant, which means the patient can infect another person in less than 15 minutes of contact. He said this will dramatically cut the transmission
“If somebody will be exposed to the COVID Delta variant you don’t need to wait for 5-7 days para i-test siya. Dapat within 3 to 4 days i-test mo na sya para kapag nag-positive siya at least ma-isolate mo na,” he told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: You don’t need to wait 5-7 days to test the person if they were exposed to someone with the Delta variant. They should be tested within 3-4 days so you can isolate them right away.]
Health experts have continuously reminded the public about the proper use of face mask and face shield, physical distancing, staying in well-ventilated areas, and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible.
“Ang Delta variant ay mabilis na makapanghawa. In a fleet of a second, maaari kayong mahawa, kaya dapat doble ingat tayo,” Vergeire said.
[Translation: The Delta variant can infect quickly. In a flit of a second, you can catch it so we should exercise double the caution.]
The country has a total of 47 Delta variant cases, with three deaths and 23 locally acquired cases.
CNN Philippines correspondent Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report
