4 Delta variant cases in Camarines Norte quickly isolated — governor

The four cases of the more contagious Delta variant in Camarines Norte were quickly isolated and were unable to spread the virus, Governor Edgardo Tallado said Tuesday.

Tallado previously said that the Delta variant may have caused the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases in the province.

“Bali po may na-detect po kami na apat na pasyente na sila po ay positive sa Delta variant, pero ito naman po ay hindi na nakapaghawa kasi nga po nadala agad natin ito sa isolation facility galing sa border,” he said during the Laging Handa briefing.

[Four patients tested positive for the Delta variant, but they were unable to spread the virus because they were quickly brought to an isolation facility from the border.]

Of the four cases, two were drivers, one was a saleslady, while one was from Albay.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said the Delta variant is now the most common lineage among sequenced samples of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. The country has recorded 3,027 Delta cases.

Tallado said the province currently has 675 active cases. Camarines Norte is the second province in the Bicol Region with the least number of infections. 

Despite this, the isolation beds in the region have reached full capacity, according to the governor.

“Talagang punong-puno na po ‘yun no. Ang bed capacity lang po nun is 46, ang bed occupied na 48. So ngayon po ang ginawa po namin gumawa po kami ng extension para sa 20 na taong positive sa COVID-19,” he said.

[It’s full. It has a bed capacity of 46, the number of beds occupied is 48. That’s why we made an extension for 20 positive cases.]

“So ‘yung ibang hospital naman po, sa district hospital namin, ganon din, puno na rin. And then ‘yung mga private hospitals po merong isang ospital na isa na lang bakante,” he added.

[It’s the same situation for the district hospitals. One of the private hospitals has only one bed left available.]

Tallado, however, said that they are able to manage the situation.

“Opo, totoo po ‘yun. Sabi ko nga po, talagang pag-asa namin ang malaking naitutulong sa amin ng border, paghigpit sa border, kasi naglagay po kami sa border na pwede sila magpa antigen doon,” he said.

[That’s true. I said that our hope lies in the border, the tightening of border measures because we put up an antigen testing there.]

The Philippines has logged a total of 2,385,616 confirmed COVID-19 cases. — RSJ, GMA News