CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--"Swerte kita kay ang atong surveillance both sa Cagayan de Oro ug sa Region 10 is very active and nakita dayon nato base sa atong pagpadala sa sample didto sa Philippine Genome Center nga naa na ta nagsugod atong Hunyo 26, unlike in other areas nga ayha pa nahibal-an nga kato pang Mayo nagsugod."
(We are vey lucky because our surveillance both in Cagayan de Oro and Region 10 is very active and the new variant was immediately detected based on the samples that we sent to the Philippine Genome Center and that this started June 26 unlike in other areas where the variant was learned just recently and it has been in existence since May)
Local Health Support Division Chief Dr. David Mendoza of the Department of Health (DOH)-10 said during the Normin COVID-19 Response Task Force press conference, July 17, that in determining the existence of a new variant in an area, they check the cycle threshold (CT) value, which is the actual number of cycles it takes for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect the virus.
The CT value specifies an estimate of how much virus was likely in the sample to start with, not the actual amount.
"Kung mubo gani kaayo ang CT niana, nagpasabot nga very infective tanan nga sample nga mugbo kaayo ug CT. Amo kanang pagakwaon, ipadala namo sa Philippine Genome Center for genomic analysis," Mendoza added.
(If the CT values are low, this means that the samples are very infective. We will then get the samples and we will send it to the Philippine Genome Center for genomic analysis)
For his part, DOH-10 Regional Director Dr. Jose Llacuna said they will prioritize the monitoring of submitted samples because a slow follow-up may also cause delays in the diagnosis.
"We thank that we are given the privilege; nakauna ta ug sakop sa atong Delta variant (we were among the first regions to have detected the Delta variant)," Llacuna said.
Given the situation at hand, Mendoza assured the locals that the contact tracing is ongoing, and the barangay health workers and all the local health personnel are directed by their respective local government units (LGUs) to focus on the areas with identified cases of the Delta variant.
DOH-10 also urged the LGUs to intensify their surveillance system particularly on activating or reorganizing their Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) team.
"Atong nabal-an kung naa’y variant sa ubang lugar sama sa India, Indonesia, there was a sudden increase [of COVID-19 cases]. With this, kay nasudlan naman ta, we will double up ang atong system aron mapugngan nato, makita nato diretso kung aduna pa'y pagsaka usab sa atong kaso dinhi sa Region 10," the chief said.
(We have learned that if there is another variant coming from other countries like India, Indonesia, there was a sudden increase [of COVID-19 cases]. With this, because the variants were able to enter our area, we will double up our system so we can immediately contain the virus and check if there is still an increase of cases here in Region 10)
Llacuna further added that the CODE Team composed of Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez, Jr., DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III, Department of Defense (DND) Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Usec. Bernardo Florece are scheduled to visit the city to see how the region is doing well with the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) declaration. (RTP/PIA-10)
