By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Local government officials in the provinces of Iloilo and Guimaras confirmed the detection of Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Beta (B.1.351) variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in their areas.
In a press conference on Thursday, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. confirmed Alpha and Beta variant cases in the province, but these were first confirmed in May 2021 yet.
The Alpha variant, first confirmed in United Kingdom, and the Beta variant, first detected in South Africa, are tagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) as variants of concern (VOC) being highly contagious.
He added that there have been no confirmed cases in the province of another VOC, the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), which was first detected in India.
“There are variant [COVID cases], Alpha and Beta. I don’t know if they are new because these were just validated. But for Delta, we don’t have that yet. For [Alpha and Beta variant cases] I don’t think they are new since they have been confirmed a long time now, but they are infectious, where everyone in an office may be wiped out,” said the governor in a press conference.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Suzette Mamon later confirmed to Daily Guardian in a phone interview that there were 15 cases of the Alpha variant and 14 for Beta variant.
In addition, there was 1 confirmed case of the Theta (P.3) variant, first discovered in the Philippines.
She also confirmed that these cases have since been tagged as recovered, but are still to be investigated to trace the origin of the variants and their travel history.
“These cases have been here way back in May, and these are not new. These are of older variants, and they have since recovered and have been quarantined before. We are strictly monitoring them, and we are reviewing their case profile so we can contain if ever there are more infections from them, but they are fully recovered,” Mamon said.
GUIMARAS
Alpha and Beta variants were also confirmed by the local government units of Jordan and Buenavista in Guimaras.
The Jordan Rural Health Unit (RHU) reported on Thursday via Facebook that it had confirmed one case of the Alpha variant who is a resident in the town and works in Iloilo City.
The RHU said the case was confirmed between May and June when there was a surge in cases in the island province.
“It is indeed that the shoot up of our cases last May to June 2021 is secondary to the mutation of SARS-CoV-2. A positive confirmed COVID case of May 29, working in Iloilo from Brgy. Rizal turned out to have an Alpha variant of Covid 19 based from the official results of the Philippine Genome Center this July 15, 2021,” the Jordan RHU said.
In the neighboring town of Buenavista, Mayor Eugene Reyes told Daily Guardian in a phone interview that there were 8 cases of the variants, who have since recovered.
These included 4 cases of the Alpha variant in two barangays (Sto. Rosario and Old Poblacion), and 4 cases of the Beta variant also in two puroks in Brgy. New Poblacion.
Two cases of the Alpha variant are of a married couple, while the other two are their acquaintances.
“[On July 21], the Department of Health sent communication informing our Municipal Health office that they were able to detect Alpha and Delta variants from our town, but those were from the months of May and June, but it was only recently that our local government unit was informed so all of them have since recovered in those areas,” said Reyes in a phone interview.
He also added that the municipal government continues to implement the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) measures implemented by the Guimaras provincial government.
