Cordillera posts 14,940 Covid cases; 215 deaths

Baguio gets first UK variant case 

BAGUIO CITY – This city had its first case of the UK variant of Covid even as the regional Dept. of Health reported 173 new Covid-19 cases,  death of 77-year-old woman in Baguio and 63 new recoveries in the region.  

 The Cordillera has now a total of 14,940 cases with 944 active cases and 215 deaths.
    In Baguio, Mayor BenjaminMagalong said a 30-year-old woman tested positive for the UK variant on Feb. 12.
    The patient recovered from the virus on Feb. 23, he added.

He said contact tracing was intensified to contain the spread of the virus, which health experts say is more infectious than the original Covid-19.

In January, the DOH recorded the first 17 UK variant cases in the country including 12 in Bontoc, Mountain Province and one in La Trinidad, Benguet.

The source of the infection has yet to be determined.

The patient in La Trinidad died on Jan. 24. The cases in Bontoc have all recovered.

Last month, another UK variant case was detected in La Trinidad.  

This triggered fear among residents that the new variant had reached Baguio City.

Meantime, DOH Cordillera regional director Dr. Ruby Constantino urged  local government units and the local health stakeholders that along with their preparation for the rollout of the vaccines, they must also push intensified information, education and communication campaign on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and its importance in the country’s fight against Covid-19.

‘The vaccine for Covid19 is on its way to our country and it is free, safe and effective. Only vaccines with Emergency Use Authorization given by the Food and Drug Administration shall be given to the Filipinos. Our target is to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the total population to achieve herd immunity’, Constantino said. – PIA Cordillera