Cases can still be linked to each other, says health experts
https://youtu.be/7Uhf_OcOWfs
(Eagle News) — The Department of Health (DOH) said that there is no community transmission yet of the highly infectious B.1.1.7 variant of the COVID-19 virus in the country.
DOH officials and heath experts said that the local transmission of the UK variant cases in Bontoc is not considered as community transmission as they can still establish linkages in the reported cases.
Dr. Althea de Guzman, DOH medical specialist at its epidemiology bureau, said that although there is evidence of “ongoing local transmission” this is still not considered community transmission of the virus since the cases are connected to each other.
“May ebidensya na that there is ongoing local transmission in Bontoc. Nakita natin na ang isang local case na nanghawa ng isa pang local case. Na-e-establish pa po natin kung paano sila connected to each other,” Dr. De Guzman said in a press briefing.
De Guzman said that the 11 UK variant cases in Bgy. Samoki in Bontoc province is linked in “one way or the other” to a man who had recently travelled to the United Kingdom (UK), although this traveler was later found to be negative for the UK variant.
This traveler arrived in the country on Dec. 11 from UK. His wife was also negative for the virus.
The DOH said that they cannot say for now if this traveler was the source of the UK variant found in Bontoc.
The department is still further investigating the cluster of cases in Bontoc.
Twelve of the 17 detected UK variant cases in the country occured in Bontoc province. Eleven of this happened in one barangay — Bgy. Samoki.
“Of these 12 cases, seven are male and five are female. Three are aged below 18 years old and another three are above 60,” the DOH said.
-Difference between local transmission and community transmission-
Local transmission is basically a transmission of cases in an area where cases can still be linked to each other. The cases are clustered in a single household or nearby houses.
Community transmission, on the other hand, happens when there is widespread transmission of cases that the source of the transmission cannot be determined.
-La Trinidad UK variant case now negative for COVID-19-
Meanwhile, the DOH also announced that the 22-year old male from La Trinidad, Benguet who was earlier found to be positive for the UK variant, has now tested negative for the COVID-19 virus upon retest this Jan. 23.
There were also four passengers of the Philippine Air Lines flight PR 8661 who had tested positive for COVID-19. This is also the same flight boarded by two returning overseas Filipino workers from Lebanon who had earlier tested positive for the COVID-19 variant.
The Bureau of Quarantine is now coordinating with the Philippine Air Lines to get the additional details of the four passengers who were found to be positive for the virus.
(With a video report from Madelyn Villar Moratillo, Eagle News Service)
