Surge in Covid Delta cases worries DOH

By Mar S. Arguelles

The Department of Health (DOH) expressed concern over the increasing number of cases of the highly transmissible Delta (Indian) variant, prompting an uptick trend in the Covid-19 cases in Bicol.

A DOH report said additional cases of Covid Variants of Concern (VOC) have been recorded on Sept. 3 with a total of 28 local cases, 19 cases of which were Delta (B.1.617.2), followed by Beta (B.1.351) with five cases, and the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant with four cases.

The newly recorded cases have brought to 134 VOCs the cases registered by the agency as of Sept. 6, this year.

The provinces with the significant number of VOC cases include Camarines Sur with 50 cases, Albay (28), Masbate (20), Catanduanes (14), Sorsogon (12), and Camarines Norte (10).

The new VOC cases were based on the genomic sequencing result from the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) received by the Bicol Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) on Sept. 3, 2021.

Dr. Ernie Vera, DOH regional director, in a recent press statement, said the region is also experiencing a surge in Covid cases with an average of 300 cases a day.

Vera is alarmed that some hospitals in the region are almost at full capacity, referring to the three Covid-19 referral facilities: Bicol Regional Teaching and Training Hospital (BRTTH), Bicol Medical Center (BMC) in Naga City and BicolSanitarium in Cabusao, Camarines Sur.

DOH data indicate that of the 1,030 beds allocated for Covid patients 330 beds or 32 percent are already occupied.