THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported there is no local case yet in the Philippines of the Delta coronavirus variant, or the variant responsible for the deadly second wave of COVID-19 in India.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III assured there are no local cases of the more dangerous Delta variant in the Philippines yet.

“So far, walang local case ng Delta variant based sa Philippine Genome Center sa whole genome sequencing as part ng biosurveillance. Sila PGCang nagsasabi sa atin kung nakapasok na or limitado lang sa ating mga returning overseas Filipinos or overseas Filipino Workers,” he said.

Duque attributed this to the country’s strict border control and quarantine protocols.

Last Thursday, Duque said experts were studying a possible ban on travelers from Indonesia over the threat of the Delta coronavirus variant.

This followed the Philippine government’s announcement that it has extended its travel restrictions on travelers from United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman, Nepal and Bangladesh until July 15 due to the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Last July 1, the Philippines also reduced the quarantine period for arriving Filipinos who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to seven days from the standard 10-day period.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this shortened quarantine period will cover those coming from green or low-risk countries and those countries with a trustworthy process in issuing certificate of vaccination.

On Tuesday, the DOH vouched for stricter border control instead of expanding the travel ban over the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant first discovered in India.

The Philippines has so far detected 17 Delta variant cases, all of whom are returning overseas Filipinos.

An expert earlier explained that the Delta variant is more transmissible, manifests different symptoms than the original coronavirus, and increases the likelihood of hospitalization.

On Friday, the Philippines tallied 6,192 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total cases to 1,424,518.

Meanwhile, Duque warned that the Philippines is not out of the woods yet, despite its latest classification as a low-risk area for COVID-19.

“Sinabi ko dati, we are not yet out of the woods. Kapag kinuha mo ang pangkalahatan na risk classification, nasa low risk na ang buong Pilipinas. Pero hindi dapat ganon ang pagtingin dito lamang kasi kinakailangan mo tingnan ang mga lugar na may spikes or surge,” he explained.

The health chief reiterated the DOH’s explanation that the low-risk classification was due to the decrease in the national case growth rate and average daily attack rate (ADAR).

DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea De Guzman said the country’s’ negative two-week growth rate and the average daily attack rate at 5.42 pushed the Philippines to a low-risk area classification.

DOH data showed the Philippines’ case growth rate fell to -9% during the period June 13 to 26 from 15% during the period May 30 to June 12.

The national utilization rates of hospital and intensive care unit beds were also in the safe zone at 46.51% and 55.24%, respectively.