ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 21 Sep) – Twelve new COVID-19 cases of the Delta variant have been logged in Zamboanga City, according to the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Genome Center (PGC).
This totals the number of cases to 19 as of September 18, with all of the identified cases having recovered.
This new batch of Delta cases were among the 21 samples sent by the City Health Office for genome sequencing through the DOH Regional Office IX to the PGC on August 24.
As the persistent threat of the Delta and other variants and the number of COVID-19 cases rising, Dr.
Dulce Miravite, City Health Officer, appealed once more to the public to secure themselves by observing minimum health standards and avoid the “3 Cs,” referring to closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby and close-contact settings such as close-range conversations.
“The rise is expected. Whatever the variant is, that’s the natural progression of any pandemic until we live with it normally,” said Dr.
Norvie Taruc-Jailani, epidemiologist at the Zamboanga City Medical Center.
Socorro Roxas, City Social Welfare and Development Officer, observed that the spread is more on family members who contracted the virus due to attendance in social gatherings.
“I want to reiterate that this pandemic was declared because of its transmissibility and this will have a big impact on our poor healthcare system,” said Jailani, adding the need to increase vaccination activities. (Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)
