(Eagle News) — Eighty-nine close contacts of the COVID-19 cases with the United Kingdom variant in the Mt. Province and in Benguet have tested positive for COVID-19.
Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said of the 89, 83 were from Bontoc while six were from La Trinidad.
She said the 83 from Bontoc tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 410 identified as close contacts of the 12 UK variant cases first identified there.
Of the 83, eight, she said, are for sequencing to determine whether or not they had the UK variant.
The six from La Trinidad tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 37 identified as contacts of the single UK variant case initially detected by authorities there.
Of the six, she said two are for sequencing.
Earlier, the DOH confirmed the local transmission of the UK variant in Bontoc.
The UK variant is said to be up to 70 percent more infectious.
So far, the DOH has confirmed a total of 525,618 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.