BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: The Department of Health in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) said contact tracing is being conducted in connection with the first recorded Delta variant positive coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) case, according to a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Friday.
“The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) together with the local government of Nueva Vizcaya is conducting contact tracing to identify all people that the Covid-19 patient has come in contact with,” the DoH Region 2 said.
The first recorded Covid-19 Delta variant in Region 2 particularly in Barangay Bagahabag in Solano town (Nueva Vizcaya) was confirmed by the DoH, University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and UP-National Institute of Health or UP-NIH in its press release no. 2021-08-05-01.
Region 2 comprises the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and the island province of Batanes.
The DoH-Region 2 has strongly reminded the public to know the right information to avoid anxiety and fear among the citizens and that it will also continue to provide additional information on the current investigation of the case.
It said this first recorded Delta variant case had symptoms on July 6 and was confirmed positive of Covid-19 two days after the patient felt itchiness in the throat, colds and difficulty in breathing.
The DoH said the case was declared fully recovered on July 20 and that there were no respiratory symptoms experienced by the patient, who was not yet vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Although the Delta variant spreads faster and is more contagious, the MHPS [Minimum Public Health Standards] and all Covid-19 vaccines continue to demonstrate protection against any type of variants. We have a strong defense against the Covid-19 virus, we are also fully prepared to deal with it if we work together to comply and spread our safety protocols,” the DoH Region 2 said.
“We encourage the public to enjoy the free vaccine for further protection of our community against Covid-19,” the DoH said. LEANDER C. DOMINGO