Calamba UK coronavirus variant case a technician from Britain

The 23-year-old male Calamba City resident who tested positive for the UK variant of the novel coronavirus was a UK radiologic technician who returned to the Philippines during the holiday season.

According to Mark Salazar’s “24 Oras” report on Tuesday, the technician returned to the Philippines on December 4, weeks before the Philippines banned entry to travelers from the UK over the B.1.1.7 variant.

He tested negative for COVID-19 upon his arrival in the country.

Two days later, however, he began developing symptoms of the disease.

On December 10, he underwent a swab test in a Manila clinic and went into home quarantine afterward.

On December 16, he tested positive for COVID-19.

After a month of quarantine, he tested negative for the coronavirus on January 16.

On January 18, he flew back to the UK.

It was not until January 22 that the Department of Health (DOH) reported the detection of 16 more cases of the UK variant.

"Nag-request ang DOH na magpadala ng... na kung mayroong natirang specimen doon sa original swab, ipadala doon sa genome sequencing at true enough, lumabas nga na UK variant,” said Calamba City Health Office chief Dr. Adelino Labro.

"Umuwi lang doon sa bahay ng kanyang ninong. Since na nalaman na nag-positive, nag-isolate kaagad ito, since may separate naman na bahay 'yung ninong niya. Minonitor naman namin 'yung ninong niya at kamag-anak. So far naman, walang lumabas na positive case,” he added.

Calamba Mayor Timmy Chipeco also said the UK variant could not have spread to other residents since the radiologic technician was immediately isolated.

“Whether or not he has a new variant or doesn’t have the new variant, he was quarantined… It’s just that we don’t know that time that there was a new variant,” he said.

“So hindi siya nag-spread domestically. Lumabas ‘yung issue ng new variant, nakaalis na rin siya. He was isolated from the rest of the group. Hindi siya ‘yung superspreader.”

The DOH earlier said the Calamba case was not connected to the cases of the UK variant detected in Bontoc, Mountain Province, and La Trinidad, Benguet.

The country so far has 17 cases of the new variant. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News