A total of 12 cases of the more transmissible COVID-19 variants, Delta, Beta and Alpha have been detected in Bohol, with 10 of the cases considered as locally transmitted, the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) said.
According to BIATF spokesperson Dr. Yul Lopez, the Philippine Genome Center on August 27, 2021 reported five Delta, five Beta and two Alpha variant cases involving Bohol residents.
Lopez, during his daily online press briefer on Tuesday, said the local transmission of the more virulent variants could be the reason behind the continued surge in COVID-19 cases in Bohol.
“Usa ni sa nakita nato na hinungdan ngano nilukso ang atong gidaghanon sa kaso sa Bohol from less than 500 or 100 man gani kaniadto aduna na tay 1,700, 1,800 ka maga kaso sa Bohol…this indicates the presence of the variants,” he said.
The five cases of the Delta, which is considered as the most transmissible among the three variants, were detected in Tagbilaran City with two cases and Baclayon, San Miguel, and Loboc with one case each.
However, the Loboc local government unit (LGU) said that the town’s resident who contracted the variant is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF) who tested positive for COVID-19 on August 9, 2021 while under quarantine in Metro Manila . The person was considered fully recovered by the Bureau of Quarantine on August 22, and was later allowed to travel to Bohol.
The Tagbilaran and Baclayon LGU also clarified that the three residents of both localities who tested positive for the Delta variant have already recovered.
All three tested positive in July.
According to Lopez, the San Miguel resident who contracted the Delta variant died due to complications caused by COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the two Alpha variant cases were detected in Talibon (local transmission) and Catigbian (ROF).
Tagbilaran City, Dauis, Valencia, Jagna, and Buenavista each logged one case of the Beta variant, which were contracted by all patients through local transmission.
Lopez did not provide details on the health status of the persons who were infected with the Beta and Alpha variants. (A. Doydora)