Wednesday, June 23, 2021

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DOH detects alpha, beta Sars-CoV-2 variants in Davao Region

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 06:53 AM PDT

THE Department of Health (DOH) reported that there are more Covid-19 variants detected in Davao Region.

DOH, in a press release on Wednesday afternoon, June 23, 2021, said that based on the latest whole-genome sequencing (WGS) report, three Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant cases and 11 Beta (B.1.351) variant cases were found to be from the specimens submitted from Davao Region.

Among these variants, nine were transported to the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genomic Center (UP-PGC) on June 3, while the remaining five were from the specimens sent on June 10.

DOH reported that two of the three identified cases of the alpha variant were from Davao City.

One is a 31-year-old male who experienced mild symptoms, while the other one is a 19-year-old female who was asymptomatic. Both have recovered already.

The other identified case was from Davao del Norte who is a 38-year-old male, asymptomatic, and is currently admitted in one of the province's isolation facilities.

According to the World Health Organization, alpha variant is one of several variants believed to be of particular importance, as it is estimated to be 40 to 80 percent more transmissible than the wild-type Sars-CoV-2 and was detected in November 2020 from a sample taken in September, during the Covid-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

DOH also reported specimens identified with the beta variant.

Five of the 11 identified cases were from Davao City. One is a 24-year-old male who was asymptomatic, a 39-year-old male who experienced mild symptoms, 66-year-old female who was asymptomatic, 72-year-old female who was asymptomatic, and a 64-year-old female who experienced severe symptoms.

All five cases have recovered.

The other six cases were from the province of Davao del Norte. A 28-year-old male who was asymptomatic, 20-year-old female who has mild symptoms, and 22-year-old male who also experienced mild symptoms. All three have recovered and have been discharged.

The other three cases are still active -- a 40-year-old female who is asymptomatic, an 84-year-old male with moderate symptoms, and a 43-year-old female with mild symptoms. All three are currently admitted at the province's isolation facilities.

The beta variant is reported to have prevalence among young people with no underlying health conditions, and more frequently causes serious illness in such cases than other variants. The South African health department indicated that the variant may be driving the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, as the variant spreads faster than other earlier variants of the virus.

Based on initial investigation, all are non-overseas Filipino worker (OFW) cases and are not identified to be related to each other.

DOH said they are still currently investigating their exposure to persons with possible travel histories.

"The concerned LGUs are currently conducting an extensive contact tracing up to third generation close contacts and thorough investigation of the possible source of these variants," the health department said.

It added that all identified close contacts of the remaining four active cases of variants of concern will be prioritized for testing.

All first generation close contacts, regardless of a negative result, must undergo a 14-day strict quarantine at a facility, DOH said.

"The DOH reiterates to all LGUs (local government units) the need to strengthen the quarantine protocols, testing and isolation. Regardless of the variant, the public is highly encouraged to enhance the adherence to Minimum Public Health Standards to halt the transmission of Covid-19 and further prevent the emergence of new variants," the agency said.

DOH also encouraged the public to get vaccinated when it is their turn for added protection. The public is also reminded to complete the two doses at the prescribed interval

DOH-Davao Center for Health Development has submitted a total of 991 specimens for WGS, as of June 23.

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Davao police nab over 20,000 violators during MECQ

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 06:52 AM PDT

MORE than 20,000 violators were apprehended in Davao City since the start of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) on June 5, 2021, according to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).

DCPO spokesperson Captain Rose Aguilar said they were able to apprehend a total of 20,101 violators of the Covid-19 standard health protocols, community quarantine guidelines, and executive orders as of June 19, 2021.

Based on the breakdown, persons with no face shield in public areas topped the list with a total of 6,867 violators.

Second on the list were persons not wearing face masks with 5,042 violators, followed by those who did not comply with the social distancing and mass gathering, with 4,084 violators.

For the violators of the 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, the number reached 2,505.

Pillion riding without motorcycle barrier reached 916, while persons apprehended for travelling with non-essential purposes are at 646, followed by 24-hour liquor ban violators at 37, and persons who falsified their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results at four.

"Considering na ang kapulisan naningkamot sa pagpugong sa pagkaylap sa virus, pinaagi sa pag-enforce ani atong protocols. Apan naa gihapon masinupakon nga di mutuman (our policemen have been striving to curb the spread of the virus by enforcing the health protocols. However, there are still some individuals who violate it)," Aguilar said during the AFP-PNP virtual presser on Wednesday, June 23.

Davao City is under MECQ until June 30 due to the continuing surge of Covid-19 cases.

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Health cluster studying suspending expanded testing

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 06:52 AM PDT

AN OFFICIAL from the Davao City Health Office (CHO) revealed that the city's health cluster is studying the recommendation of lifting the expanded contact tracing for second (F2) and third generation (F3).

CHO Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a radio interview on Wednesday, June 23, that this was one of the agenda in an emergency meeting.

This was in response to some of the public's clamor, including some medical experts, who raised their concerns with the city's expanded contact tracing and swabbing in relation to the overwhelming influx of individuals at the city's swabbing center.

He declined to further elaborate what was discussed during the meeting as they have yet to publish a summary report on the city's expanded swabbing.

"Nagpahimo pa ko og report ana (We are already making a report on this), and we're going to make an analysis whether these activities are significant or not. Kung naa ta'y makita nga (If there is) proof or ebidensya nga ang atong ginabuhat nga (evidence that our) initiative are not significant enough, then we might probably make some recommendations to the Covid-19 Task Force to make some amendments," Lopez said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

He added the City will publicize their report once it is done.

The health official said the City will still implement Executive Order (EO) 18 and 20.

EO 20 mandates the heightened surveillance and response of Covid-19 in Davao City by expanding its testing and contact tracing capabilities to manage the Covid-19 situation in the city. Under the EO, the city will test and monitor those with influenza-like illness (ILI).

The health response clusters were also ordered to make a regular schedule of surveillance swabbing in high-risk areas like business and commercial establishments, public places and government offices.

Another is EO 20, which makes the mandatory testing of F1, F2 and F3 contacts.

The 19th City Council passed on second reading the ordinance mandating swab testing to all F1 (first generation), F2, and F3 contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 positive individual in the city.

Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta, ordinance proponent, said the item was based on the discussion during the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force meeting where it was observed that the city's contact tracing team faced difficulty of getting accurate information from persons positive with the virus.

This had led to the Task Force requesting the City Council to craft an ordinance penalizing persons who refuse to follow the mandatory swab testing and those identified close contacts who do not provide accurate and complete information when contact traced.

During the plenary discussion, Councilor Alberto Ungab raised the necessity to expand the contact tracing to F2 and F3.

Ungab emphasized that if an F1 tested negative, those they made contact with are also expected to test negative.

Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser admitted there is still no concrete study on this matter, which is why there is a need for all contacts to be swabbed.

She said this is based on a Department of Health memorandum.

"When an F1 once tested negative, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are actually negative. The RT-PCR test is very specific for Covid[-19]. However, it is not sensitive. Therefore, even if you tested negative on the test, you can still harbor the virus, and might be a silent spreader," Schlosser said.

Lopez, meanwhile, admitted that the expanded contact tracing is not included in the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases omnibus guidelines.

While this was recommended by the World Health Organization, the city based this concept in a study conducted by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the country's contact tracing czar.

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CHO: Workplace transmission declines, community transmission rising

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 06:51 AM PDT

AS TRANSMISSION on workplaces began to decline, cases of community transmission are slowly contributing to the current surge of cases in Davao City, the City Health Office (CHO) reported.

CHO Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a radio interview on Wednesday, June 23, that 60 percent of the current cases in the city are coming from community transmission, particularly in households.

Previously, Lopez said more than half of the Covid-19 transmission is happening in workplaces, contributing to the current surge of cases in the city.

The city noted a huge clustering of cases in government offices and private establishments.

"Part of the intensive case finding, including surveillance swabbing... basing sa atong data for the past several weeks, gasaka ang kaso sa atong establishments, such as banko and BPOs [business process outsourcing], [but now] na-address na nato na nga problem (Based on our data, we saw an increase in Covid-19 cases un business establishments like banks and BPOs but we have addressed that already," Lopez said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

CHO recently lifted the lockdown of three big BPOs in the city, which recorded several Covid-19 positive cases.

Lopez said the BPOs, along with commercial banks, were among offices and workplaces that logged high incidences of Covid-19 cases, which resulted in them being locked down.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a recent interview that the continued mobility of people coming outside their residences also contributed to the current surge in the city.

"Plus kanang infections nga mahitabo sa sulod sa balay kay sa sulod sa balay wala man gyud tas mask wala man tay distancing (Infections are happening within households because no one wears a face mask and distancing is not being observed), we don't practice minimum public health standards inside sa atoang mga balay (at home)," Duterte-Carpio said.

According to the Department of Health-Davao Region data as of June 22, Davao City has now a total of 4,701 active cases -- the highest since the pandemic started March 2020.

From June 5 to 19, Lopez said the average positivity rate in the city is at 11.7 percent.

"Kini nagapakita lang nga taas gihapon ta og (This shows that we still have a high) level of transmission, particularly community transmission," the CHO head said.

For the past two weeks, Lopez said the city has recorded an average of 203 daily cases.

"Basing on the forecast, lapas na ta sa (we exceeded on our) upper boundary sa ato (in our) forecast actually. If we cannot lower our cases, maybe before mahuman aning semanaha, muabot na ta sa (the end of the week, we might hit) 5,000 active cases before the end of this week," he said.

Based on the Barangay Risk Classification posted on the City Government's Facebook page, the city's local government unit risk classification according to the average daily attack rate (​Adar) and two-week growth rate (2WGR), the city is classified as "high risk".

The city's Adar is at 10,93, wherein its classified as "high," while its 2WGR is at 9.69 or "medium."

A total of 2,841 cases were recorded in Weeks 1 and 2, while 2,590 cases were recorded for Week 3 and 4.

For June 21 to 26, six barangays are classified as "critical risk" areas: 13-B, 2-A, 40-D, Biao Guianga, Lapu-lapu, and Los Amigos.

Lopez, meanwhile, reiterated that placing the entire city under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) is not being discussed by the Covid-19 Task Force for now.

He admitted that they are not keen on placing the city under ECQ as this poses economic risk.

The official said there is a need to further intensify its heightened surveillance and monitoring as the city continues to experience a surge of cases.

He also reminded the public to continuously abide with the minimum health protocols.

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78 bombs unearthed in Calinan

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 06:50 AM PDT

A TOTAL of 78 explosive devices were discovered Wednesday, June 23, 2021, just a kilometer away from Task Force (TF) Davao Checkpoint in Calinan, Davao City.

Some of the explosive devices were unearthed by a backhoe operator of JV Angeles while laying water pipes for the Apo Agua project in Purok 4 in Barangay Lacson.

After noticing something unusual in the area, the backhoe operator immediately checked the objects and informed TF-Davao.

Discovered in the area are 14 pieces of 81 mm and four pieces of elimination, while in a portion of Abayon Village, still in Calinan, 45 pieces of 81mm and 15 pieces of elumination were also unearthed.

According to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), the recently discovered objects are still active and can explode anytime.

While the EOD-DCPO is handling the explosives for proper disposition, the team is also investigating how and why the explosives were buried in the area.

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