LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – Two crew members of MV Clyde and Barge Claudia anchored at the shore of Santo Domingo, this province, tested positive for the COVID-19 Delta variant, the Department of Health (DOH) Bicol confirmed Thursday, July 29.
DOH Bicol said that the Bicol Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) has been informed about the genomic sequencing result.
"The results of the genomic sequencing by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) revealed two of the crews were positive for the Delta variant," DOH said.
The two cases are both males and deck cadets, according to DOH Bicol.
Eleven out of the 19 crew of the tugboat tested positive for COVID-19 and five out of 11 samples taken from them were sent to PGC.
The tugboat came from Indonesia and had a stop-over in Butuan City where the crew was tested for COVID-19.
While enroute to Albay, 11 crew tested positive for COVID-19.
"Since the crew is on isolation onboard of the tugboat, the Bureau of Quarantine Bicol monitors the health condition of the crew, and shares information with the DOH Bicol," the statement said.
DOH Bicol disclosed that as of Thursday, July 29, all crew were asymptomatic and had no cough, colds, fever, or headache.