MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) is testing and quarantining former Delta variant cases to confirm their condition, as several previously labelled as recoveries tested positive again for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated in a Palace briefing on Monday that nine local Delta variant cases and five returning overseas Filipinos will be retested and quarantined.
“So that is our existing protocol right now,” Vergeire said.
She said patients will be kept in isolation until they test negative after 14 days.
All Delta variant cases are “promptly reviewed to assess their current clinical, laboratory, and isolation status,” according to DOH in a separate statement.
At the end of their isolation or when it is determined that they are positive for the Delta variant, patients will be swabbed for repeat reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests.
She stated that the contact tracing will be assessed to identify close contacts whose samples may be eligible for sequencing.
Currently, the Philippines has identified 35 Delta variant cases, three of whom have died.