The DOH saw community transmission of the Delta variant in Calabarzon and NCR.
On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) said that there were already signs of community transmission of the Delta variant in Calabarzon and National Capital Region (NCR) but stressed the need for “further evidence”.
Citing the World Health Organization (WHO), Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing that community transmission means that there’s a clustering of cases and there were no longer links among infected individuals.
According to Vergeire, they currently have seen and observed, especially in NCR and Calabarzon, that they can no longer see links among cases and were seeing clustering of cases in those regions.
“Definitely I can tell all of you, Region 4A and NCR, nandiyan na po, we can observe that already although we need further evidence but there is community transmission already in these areas,” she added.
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Over the weekend, Philippine Genome Center (PGC) chief Dr. Cynthia Saloma said that samples collected for genome sequencing last June already pointed to community transmission of the Delta variant.
Vergeire agreed but underscored that the Philippines didn’t have the capacity to confirm community transmission yet. According to Vergeire, the assumption was there and all their actions were geared towards that level of community transmission already.
GMA News Online reported that the Philippines had detected 807 Delta variant cases so far. NCR and Laguna have been placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until August 31 in order to curb the spread of the Delta variant.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the Department of Health (DOH) was open to giving booster doses to the public once the vaccine supply in the Philippines stabilized.
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