CEBU CITY – The rising cases of COVID-19 in Region 7 is not due to the more transmissible Delta variant of the virus, the Department of Health-Central Visayas (DOH 7) assured.
In the continuing bio-surveillance program, DOH - 7 Dr. Jaime Bernadas said the region remains free from Delta variant which was first discovered earlier this year in India.
“Presently, we haven’t found any confirmed cases of the Delta variant in Region 7. Although these were reported in other regions but for now, our region remained free from any Delta variant,” Bernadas said in a virtual press conference Monday afternoon.
Bernadas said the DOH-7 is continuously conducting bio-surveillance to detect the not just the Delta variant but also the other variants which could be more infectious.
Bernadas said 978 swab samples from COVID-19 patients in Central Visayas were sent to the Philippine Genome Center for examination.
At least 101 samples have been returned and all tested negative of SARS-CoV-2 mutation.
DOH- 7 data showed that COVID-19 cases in Central Visayas have increased by 14 percent.
As of July 19, the region, which is under Modified General Community Quarantine, had 9,311 active cases.