Labing-anim na pasyente ng Covid 19 ang nagpositibo sa bagong variant na galing ng United Kingdom.
Ayon sa Department of Health, sa ngayon, 17 kabuang pasyente na nasa bansa ang B117 variant ng 2019 novel coronavirus.
Kabilang sa mga nag-positibo ang 12 pasyente na iniulat ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Bontoc, Mountain Province.
“Following strengthened biosurveillance activities amid the detection of the first B117 variant in the country last January 13, the Department of Health (DOH), UP-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and the UP-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) today confirmed the detection of the B117 variant in 16 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 17,” pahayag ng DOH.
“Twelve of the 16 additional cases are from Bontoc, Mountain Province. Of these 12 cases, seven are male and five are female. Three are aged below 18 years old and another three are above 60. Contact tracing was immediately initiated to contain the spread of the infection. Investigation is also underway to identify these cases’ exposure and travel histories,” dagdag ng DOH.
Sa ngayon, nagsasagawa na ng contact tracing ang DOH sa mga nakasalamuha ng mga pasyente.
“Meanwhile, two other patients with the B117 variant are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) who arrived on December 29, 2020 from Lebanon, a country included in the travel restrictions due to the detection of the B117 variant in said country,” pahayag ng DOH.
“The cases were aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR 8661. The first case is a 64-year old female whose indicated local address is Jaro, Iloilo City. The patient was isolated in San Juan, Metro Manila and discharged on January 9. The other is a 47-year old Filipina whose reported local address is Binangonan, Rizal and was quarantined in New Clark City and discharged from isolation on January 13,” dagdag ng DOH.