The Manila Health Department (MHD) has traced one person exposed to the two cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant in Manila and who turned out positive for the disease.
After the city government traced all those who were exposed, they were immediately subjected to the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) swab testing.
Only one person tested positive while the rest tested negative.
On July 16, the Department of Health detected 16 cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the country, 11 of which were considered local cases
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso explained in detail in his daily capital report the process of how the city government detects the COVID-19 Delta variant.
"Ang ating mga content or sample ay ipinadadala natin sa genome center or genome sequencing," Domagoso said.
"I was told by the Manila Health Department through Dr. Ed Santos at siya ay nakipagugnayan kaagad sa ating Manila RT-CPR laboratory at lumalabas ay 'yong Cycle threshold (Ct) value na ang isang content ng positibo kapag ito ay 20 above ibig hong sabihin hindi na kailangang dalhin sa genome center 'yung specimen na 'yon. Ngunit kung ito naman po ay 20 below ay kailangan pong dalhin sa genome center for genome sequencing," he added.
There are no new cases of the more transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant in Manila, according to Domagoso.
Domagoso also said that the city government will continue to watch the Ct value of positive cases in the city.
"Hindi tayo titigil na bantayan yung Cycle threshold value. We will continue to trace, we will continue to test, we will continue to isolate," he said.
The city government will also continue to build facilities that will help severe and critical patients.