Thirty-four contacts of the UK variant cases in Bontoc, Mountain Province tested positive for COVID-19 but not for the new variant first found in the United Kingdom, the Department of Health said Monday.

With this, the total of individuals infected with the UK variant in Bontoc remains at 12.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that from the 114 close contacts of the 12 identified cases of UK variant in Bontoc, 34 tested positive for COVID-19 but the new variant was not found from them.

“Additional na 34 na positive (There is an additional 34 of positive cases), but not for UK variant,” Vergeire said, adding that with this, “we were able to identify already are three clusters of infections.”

Vergeire explained that four close contacts of the returning overseas Filipino infected with the UK variant tested positive for the new variant.

These four cases then infected eight more close contacts.

“Nakikita na natin ang pagkakahawa hawa na nangyari sa mga areas na ito (We can now see the chain of transmission in these areas). But we still need to backtrack for further analysis. Our coverage will still be expanded,” Vergeire said.

The Health official also reported that the returning OFW arrived in Bontoc last Dec. 14 and stayed with relatives in a household.

“Dec. 25 nagkaroon ng pagdiriwang because it's Christmas. Dec. 26, they performed a ritual because of their belief in their area. Dec. 29, the symptoms started showing,” Vergeire said.

Four close contacts within the household – the OFW’s mother, father, sibling, and grandmother – tested positive for the UK variant.