ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) announced that there is no confirmed local or community transmission of any other variants of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Dr. Joshua Brillantes, DOH regional director issued the statement Friday after it has been confirmed that cases of UK and African Covid-19 variants have been discovered in Metro Manila.
Brillantes said that its Center for Health Development (CHD), through the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) and in collaboration with the local government units (LGUs), has strengthened its active surveillance in preventing, detecting, isolating, treating and reintegrating (PIDTR) suspected, probable, and confirmed Covid-19 patients.
Brillantes said that with the advent of the new variants of Covid-19, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) positive samples, which are eligible for Whole Genomic Sequencing (WGS) are being sent to the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genomic Center (UP-PGC) so that timely management of cases can be made using the PIDTR strategy.
“To date, there is no confirmed local or community transmission of any variants of concern in Zamboanga Peninsula,” Brillantes said.
Regardless of a presence or absence of other Covid-19 variants, the DOH official reiterates its call to the LGUs and the public for stricter implementation and adherence to the minimum public health standards. – Nikolai Gonzalo
