CEBU CITY – The more transmissible variant of COVID-19 has been detected in more areas in Cebu.
The Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH 7) reported that an additional 19 Delta variants of COVID-19 were detected in the province which has been experiencing a surge of new infections.
Six of the cases with Delta variants were detected in Cebu City, according to the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit Central Visayas (RESU 7).
Lapu-Lapu City also had six cases of the variant.
Three of the Delta variants were detected in Samboan town, south Cebu while one each was detected in the towns of San Fernando, Boljoon, Argao and Talisay City.
The samples that were sent to the Philippine Genome Center in Manila were collected from July 2-16.
With the latest figures, the DOH 7 is not discounting the possibility that Cebu already has a community transmission of the variant.
“Since we started the bio-surveillance especially for the Delta variant and the first batch of results were released, it is not from the probability of community transmission,” said Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, chief pathologist of DOH 7.
From July 7-30, the RESU 7 has sent 268 samples to Genome center for evaluation.
A total of 59 Delta variants have been detected in Central Visayas.
“All the 59 cases have been endorsed to their respective local government units. All have finished their mandatory quarantine but are still being monitored,” a report by RESU 7 said.
Most of the Delta variant cases in the province are in Lapu-Lapu with 30 while Cebu City had 13.