MANILA – Nadagdagan pa ng dalawa ang bilang ng close contacts ng 29-anyos na lalaking tinamaan ng UK variant, na nag-positibo sa COVID-19.
Ayon sa Department of Health (DOH), dalawang kapwa pasahero ng lalaki sa Emirates flight EK 332, na unang nag-negatibo sa COVID-19, ang natukoy na confirmed case.
Nakasaad sa inilabas na press release ng ahensya, na kabilang ang dalawang co-passengers sa limang close contacts na COVID-19 positive.
Kasama nila ang girlfriend at nanay ng lalaki; at ang healthcare worker na nag-alaga sa index case.
“Samples from all 5 close contacts who tested positive have been sent to the UP Philippine Genome Center (PGC) for sequencing, and the DOH is now awaiting the results to determine if they are also infected with the UK variant. All close contacts are currently isolated and under strict monitoring.”
Samantala, kinumpirma na rin ng ahensya ang ulat na may walong pasahero ang nabanggit na flight na una na ring nag-positibo sa COVID-19.
Nitong Lunes nang sabihin ng Philippine Red Cross na bukod sa index case, confirmed case din sa COVID-19 ang walo sa 159 na pasahero ng nasabing Emirates flight.
“However, preliminary analysis showed that samples from all positive cases yielded a Cycle Threshold (CT) value greater than 30, which indicates low viral load and entails the need for re-swabbing to secure samples for sequencing.”
Ayon kay Health Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire, nakatakdang sumailalim sa re-swabbing ang walong pasahero; ang nanay; at healthcare worker dahil sa mga CT values nilang higit 30.
Batay sa tala ng DOH, tinatayang 213 ang naging close contacts ng index case.
“The Health Department further reiterates that regardless of the variant, strict observance of the Minimum Public Health Standards remains to be the most effective strategy in preventing COVID-19 transmission and in reducing the chances of viral mutation.”
