38 close contacts of patients infected with UK variant test positive for COVID-19

At least 38 close contacts of 13 COVID-19 cases infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus tested positive for COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday. 

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that of the 12 COVID-19 cases infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus in Bontoc, Mountain Province, 34 of their close contacts tested positive for COVID-19. 

“Iyong isang taga-Bontoc, he tested negative [for COVID-19] upon arrival last December 13. December 14 nakauwi siya sa kanila. Noong December 25, nagkaroon sila ng pagdiriwang dahil Pasko. Tapos December 26, they had a ritual as part of their beliefs. December 29 na siya nagkaroon ng sintomas,” she said. 

Vergeire said that 144 close contacts of 12 COVID-19 cases infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus in Bontoc were identified and 116 of them were already tested for COVID-19 and are isolated. 

“We have identified three clusters of COVID-19 infection in Bontoc and these had linkages with each other,” Vergeire added.

In addition, the COVID-19 patient from La Trinidad, Benguet who was also infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus infected four others who are the said patient’s household members. 

Five barangays in Bontoc are currently on lockdown and strict quarantine due to the threat of the new coronavirus variant.

Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey on Monday said these barangays are Tocucan, Bontoc Ili, Caluttit, Poblacion, and Samoki.

The DOH earlier announced that the UK variant of coronavirus has been detected in 16 COVID-19 patients in the country in addition to the index case of the 29-year-old male in Quezon City who was first identified to be infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus. 

Of the 16 additional COVID-19 patients infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus, 12 are in Bontoc, Mountain Province, one in La Trinidad, Benguet, one in Calamba, Laguna, one in Binangonan, Rizal, and one in Iloilo province. 

Vergeire, however, clarified that the DOH is still studying if the 16 COVID-19 patients infected with the UK variant of the coronavirus are linked to the index case of the infection in Quezon City.

“Nakikita na natin iyong pagkakahawa-hawa. Nakikita natin iyong pinagmulan, but we still need to backtrack at titignan natin baka mayroon pa ring lumabas ng bansa at bumalik sa lugar na ito,” Vergeire pointed out.

She also said stricter protocols may not be needed to combat the UK variant of the coronavirus but there should be stricter compliance of existing minimum public health standards such as frequent hand washing, observing physical distancing and prohibition of mass gathering. 

“Kung mapapaigting po natin ang ating compliance [sa mga ito], we will prevent this kind of occurrences. Kaya I don’t think, at this point, we need to extend our quarantine period to 21 days [from 14 days],” Vergeire added.

The DOH official earlier said the UK variant of the coronavirus is more transmissible but is not more severe. 

An infectious disease expert also eased concerns that the UK variant of the coronavirus was deadlier, emphasizing that data on the matter was still preliminary.

Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the UP National Institutes of Health, said there was still no evidence that the B.1.1.7 variant was more deadly.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that the new COVID-19 variant may be associated with a higher level of mortality although he said evidence showed that both vaccines being used in the UK were effective against it.

The Philippines has recorded 513,619 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday. 

Of this number, 475,612 recovered while 10,242 died. 

The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 27,765. —KG, GMA News