The Department of Health (DOH) reported Thursday the latest 48 samples sequenced on December 8, no Omicron variant detected.
Of the samples sequenced, 38 or 79.17 percent were Delta variant cases while the rest had non-variant of concern lineages or had no lineages detected. The latest sequencing run involved 12 returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) and 36 local cases from areas with high-risk average daily attack rates and case clusters.
Of the additional 38 Delta variant cases, 31 were local cases and seven were ROFs, two of whom had travel histories from Turkey and one ROF each from Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama and Peru.
Of the 31 local cases, six were from the Cagayan Valley Region, five were from the Cordillera Administrative Region, three cases each from Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Soccsksargen, and the National Capital Region, two cases each from Central Luzon and Calabarzon, and one case from Davao Region.
Based on the case line list, one local case is still active, 27 local and all seven ROF cases have been tagged as recovered, and three local cases are currently being verified as to their outcomes.
All other details are being validated by the regional and local health offices. The latest report on whole genome sequencing update brings the total Delta variant cases to 7,886.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has meanwhile echoed the DOH recommendation not to downgrade the existing Covid-19 Alert Level status due to the threat posed by the Omicron variant.
“The time isn’t ripe yet since it’s holiday season and we see more people becoming complacent to go outdoors, disregarding health protocols, and unmindful of the risks,” PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said Wednesday.