(Eagle News) — At least 38 close contacts of 13 patients who tested positive for the United Kingdom COVID-19 virus variant in the country have tested positive for COVID-19.
Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said of the 38, 34 were close contacts of the 12 UK variant patients in Bontoc, Mt. Province while four were close contacts of the patient in La Trinidad, Benguet.
According to Vergeire, all in all, 144 were identified as close contacts of the 12 patients in Bontoc, while 97 were identified as the patient’s in La Trinidad.
She said so far, efforts were ongoing for the two returning overseas Filipinos from Lebanon–the one from Iloilo, and the one from Binangonan, Rizal—and the one from Calamba, Laguna who also tested positive for the COVID-19 UK variant.
She said the one from Iloilo has been located while the one from Binangonan was being verified by the regional office.
The other UK COVID-19 patient from Calamba, Laguna was undergoing “initial investigation,” she said.
On Friday, the DOH confirmed the UK COVID-19 variant was found in 16 other COVID-19 cases in the country.
With the additional cases, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country with the UK variant rose to 17.
The first was a Quezon City male resident who tested positive upon arrival from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
On Friday, the QC government said the QC resident had already tested negative for COVID-19 but was still under strict monitoring.