Philippines detects 1st Lambda variant case, 182 more Delta cases

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine health authorities on Sunday reported the country's first case of the Lambda variant of COVID-19, along with 182 more infections of the Delta variant. 

The Department of Health said a 35-year-old woman tested positive for Lambda, a variant of interest first detected in Peru. Officials said they are still verifying if she is a local case or a Filipino returning from overseas. 

"The case was asymptomatic and tagged as recovered after undergoing the 10-day isolation period," the agency said, adding back tracing and case investigation are underway.

Lambda, which is also called C.37, was classified a variant of interest by the World Health Organization on June 14. 

DOH said it has the potential to affect the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2, "and is currently being monitored for its possible clinical significance."

Of the new Delta variant infections, the health agency said 112 are local cases, 36 are Filipinos returning from overseas, and 34 are still up for verification. 

Some 42 of the new cases had indicated address in Metro Manila while 36 in Central Luzon. The breakdown of location is as follows: 

• Calabarzon - 8
• Mimaropa - 6
• Northern Mindanao  - 6
• Central Visayas - 4
• Davao Region - 3
• Caraga - 3
• Western Visayas - 2
• Cordillera Administrative Region - 1
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindnaao - 1

There remains one active case among the 182 additional Delta infections. DOH said four have died, 176 have recovered, and one is still being verified. 

This development brought the country's total count of Delta cases to 807.

Authorities also reported 41 more cases of the Alpha variant, or that first detected in the United Kingdom, 66 of the Beta or the variant first seen in South Africa, and 40 of the homegrown P.3, a variant "under alerts for monitoring."