Zambo City logs 1st Delta variant case
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The City Health Office has confirmed the first case of the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this southern port city.
However, the index case has reported back to work in the vessel he is assigned and is no longer here after undergoing isolation and experiencing a full recovery.
The announcement of the City Health Office was based on the samples sent in July by the Department of Health (DOH) regional office to the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC).
Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite, city health officer, said Friday the index case, along with 14 other crew members of an inter-island vessel, arrived in this city on July 2 and were immediately swabbed as they exhibited signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
Miravite said the swab test results released on July 4, showed 12 were positive.
Due to the clustering of cases, she said samples of their specimen were sent for genomic testing and the result came back on August 5, with one identified with the Delta variant.
Miravite said the index case has recovered after he was isolated in a facility, given treatment, and completed quarantine.
She reminded the public to strictly adhere to minimum health standards and avoid crowded and closed places.
She likewise urged the eligible population to register for COVID-19 vaccination.
Miravite said her office would continue to intensify testing and contact tracing, especially in clustering cases of COVID-19. Philippine News Agency
