Twelve more local cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of coronavirus were detected in the Philippines, health authorities said Thursday, raising concerns on its local spread.
The DOH said it was verifying preliminary information that all 12 cases had recovered from the disease. Six of the 12 cases were from Central Luzon, three were from Metro Manila, two from the Southern Tagalog Region, and one from the Bicol Region.
The detection of the new cases brings the total Delta variant cases reported in the Philippines to 47, the DOH said.
Last week, the DOH reported the Philippines' first local cases of the Delta variant.
The DOH urged local government units to implement stricter COVID protocols in areas where the variant was detected "with the premise that there may be ongoing local transmission already."
"With the detection of additional cases, it is crucial that we implement enhanced response immediately in the areas where these cases were detected..." the health department said.
Earlier this week, President Rodrigo Duterte warned of a possible return to stricter COVID protocols due to the Delta variant, which is sweeping across Southeast Asia.
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