By Froilan Gallardo
Special Correspondent
TWO Delta variant cases were detected in Iligan City prompting authorities to tighten their borders and imposed stricter quarantine measures in the city.
Iligan City Health Officer Dr. Belinda Lim said the first case is a 29-year-old government employee who went home on July 16.
After showing some symptoms, Lim said the employee was swabbed and was found to be Covid-19 positive four days later.
Lim said the employee also infected his father, two sisters, two brothers, a nephew, and a family friend.
She said the employee and the family friend were tested positive for the infectious Delta variant by the Philippine Genome Center.
Lim said because the results came late, the employee was released from the isolation unit and have returned to Quezon City last July 28 after he tested negative for the Covid-19 virus.
She said the other Delta patient is currently isolated in his home after showing no symptoms.
The discovery of the Delta variant cases came as a shock to Iligan City who had moderate cases reported.
The Department of Health Region-10 reported there were 80 Covid-19 cases in Iligan yesterday. The same reported said there were three deaths on that day.
Meanwhile, the DOH reported a spike of Covid-19 cases in Lanao del Norte with 334 cases reported on August 17.
Iligan City information officer Jose Pantoja said Mayor Celso Regencia issued Executive order no.192 requiring returning Iligan residents to present negative anti-gen or RTPCR tests at the border checkpoints.
Pantoja said non-residents entering Iligan City are required to present cards that they are already fully vaccinated.
He said Mayor Regencia also temporarily suspended until further notice the sale of liquor and alcoholic beverages in the city restaurants and bars.
Pantoja said curfew has been raised from 9 pm to 4 am.
