The Department of Health has reported 10 new Indian COVID-19 variant cases in the country.
This brings the total confirmed cases in the country to 12.
“The latest sequencing run included the samples from the crew members of the MV Athens Bridge, returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) with relevant travel history, and deceased severe or critical COVID-19 cases,” the DOH said in a statement.
The FOH said that one of the new 10 cases, was a seafarer who came from Belgium and the other nine were crew members of MV Athens Bridge.
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One of the seafarers disembarked in Belgium and flew back to Manila via the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He arrived in the Philippines on a flight last April 24, 2021. He completed his isolation period last May 13, 2021.
The other nine B.1.617.2 cases were from the 12 PCR-positive Filipino crew of MV Athens Bridge.
“Four of the nine B.1.617.2 cases remain admitted at a hospital in Manila and are currently in stable condition while the other five are currently in an isolation facility,” the statement added.
Other samples of three COVID-19 positive individuals were not eligible for sequencing.
The three crew members remain in a quarantine facility.
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The DOH added that all the contacts of the first two cases of B.1.617.2 have completed the prescribed 14-day quarantine and have been discharged from their quarantine facility.
“Of the three initially reported COVID-19 positive cases that are close contacts of the 2nd case in the plane, one was sent for sequencing but was not detected to harbor a variant of concern (VOC),” it added.
13 new cases of the UK varian were also detect. Three cases came from returning OFWs while the other cases were tagged as local cases.
Seven new B.1.351 variant cases or South Aftican variant cases were also recorded.
One more Brazilian P.3 variant case is a local case with an address in Region IX. The case died last February 28, 2021. (TDT)