Contacts of 1st Lambda case negative for COVID-19

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — There is no indication of a local transmission of the Lambda variant of COVID-19 in Negros Occidental, where the first case in the country was detected, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday.

“So far, there is no sign that there is a spread in the area,” Lacson said.

Valladolid Mayor Enrique Miravalles reported that a 35-year-old resident of the town, who first contracted the Lambda variant, and her newborn son yielded negative results during their second swab test.

Miravalles said the family members of the woman also tested negative for the virus.

The woman, who was pregnant when she was found infected on July 22, has since recovered. She has no history of travel.

The Lambda variant, which reportedly originated in Peru, is believed to be more resistant to vaccines.

Jessie Glenn Alonsabe, Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas regional epidemiology and surveillance unit head, stressed the need for the Valladolid municipal government to trace all persons who had been in close contact with the patient.

Delta cases spread

Meanwhile, 148 cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant were detected in Calabarzon, DOH regional director Eduardo Janairo said.

He said Laguna logged 48 cases; Cavite, 44; Rizal, 33; Batangas, 15, and Quezon, eight.

Janairo said four of the patients are fully vaccinated while 13 have had their first dose.

“It is really important for us to be vaccinated so that we can be protected against COVID-19. You can see in the data that the majority of those infected have not been vaccinated,” he said.

The DOH-Eastern Visayas regional office and Biliran Gov. Rogelio Espina confirmed the first Delta case in the province, a returning overseas Filipino.

Espina said contact tracers are checking the other passengers of the plane that brought the patient to Tacloban on her way to her hometown in Almeria.

2 kids infected

In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Health Minister Bashary Latiph confirmed that two children, a one-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl from Lanao del Sur, were found infected with the Delta variant last Sunday.

Latip said the condition of the two children, who are in a quarantine facility, is being monitored.

As this developed, in Pangasinan, Mayor Nonato Abrenica of Villasis issued an executive order placing the town under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions from Aug. 17 to 31 due to rising infections.

The entire province of Pangasinan is currently under modified GCQ (MGCQ).

The town logged 16 new COVID cases, bringing the number of total active cases to 71 with two deaths on Tuesday.

In Pampanga, Gov. Dennis Pineda extended the MGCQ with heightened restrictions until Aug. 31. – Sheila Crisostomo, Miriam Desacada,  John Unson, Arnell Ozaeta, Eva Visperas, Ric Sapnu