Gov’t Eyes Stricter Measures vs. COVID-19 Delta Variant

The national government is looking into the implementation of stricter health protocols as the country prepares for the local transmission of the COVID-19 Delta variant as cases are now being detected in the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte said in his pre-recorded “Talk to the People” Monday night that the reported local cases of serious alarm and concern, and the need to impose stricter restrictions on mass gatherings may be needed once again.

“The reported local cases in the country is a cause for serious alarm and concern… We may need to impose stricter restrictions to avoid mass gathering and prevent super spreader event,”

As of July 16, Duterte said that the Department of Health (DOH) has so far reported 16 new cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the country.

A DOH report on the Delta variant shows that the new variant of COVID-19 is “60 percent more transmissible than the usual Alpha variant (B 117 UK lineage).”

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said that of the 16 new cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant that have been detected since July 16, three cases are in the National Capital Region, 10 cases were from Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), while two of the cases were reported in Region 6 (Western Visayas).

Meanwhile, President Duterte said that the government is closely monitoring the reported cases along with the health system indicators, and that the government is looking into intensifying the four response strategies for the mitigation of the spread of the Delta variant within communities.

Duterte then urged several government agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to have greater urgency and necessity in implementing existing health protocols. (GFB)