By Ivy Marie Mangadlao
Correspondent
BUTUAN City ― The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga yesterday reported the first confirmed Covid-19 Delta variant case in the region.
In a statement, DOH-CHD said this is based on the Epidemiology Bureau report on results from the genome sequencing conducted by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center.
The first Delta variant case in the region is a 26-year-old female, who has yet to be vaccinated and has travel history from the National Capital Region on July 10, who eventually decided to return to Caraga.
Before her travel, the patient underwent a mandatory Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on August 2, and tested positive three days later.
The Health authority said the confirmed patient is asymptomatic and has been placed under quarantine. She has undergone a repeat RT-PCR test which has yielded a negative result.
Her close contacts have been identified, quarantined, and swabbed for the RT-PCR test and yielded negative results, as well.
The DOH CHD-Caraga said they are currently doing active case finding to detect and isolate Covid-19 patients immediately and are currently working on the matter through the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit to monitor the situation in the region.
Regional Director Cesar C. Cassion urged residents to remain vigilant against possible infection.
“We continuously remind and appeal to the public to do their part in this fight against Covid-19, which includes strictly following the health protocols, isolation measures, and availing of any Covid-19 vaccine offered to them,” Cassion said.
Based on the latest situational report of DOH-CDC Caraga dated September 6, the region has a total of 32,363 confirmed cases, of which 4,331 are still in isolation, 26,997 have recovered, and 1,035 have expired.
The Delta Covid-19 variant has now been detected in all regions in the Philippines, the Department of Health reported yesterday.
