Iloilo City has recorded its first local case of the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.

The City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) reported during a meeting with the city’s COVID Team yesterday that the first Delta variant case is a 30-year-old male resident of Mandurriao district and an employee of a company in Molo district.

He got himself tested at the Western Visayas Medical Center after experiencing an influenza-like illness.

His samples were taken to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) for sequencing because of the high viral load.

His result came out positive on July 9 and continued to be positive during repeat testing on July 23.

The CESU received the report on the result of the sequenced sample via email yesterday from the Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau.

The patient, who is unvaccinated, claimed to have no travel history and no close contact in his workplace.

His wife, who underwent swabbing on July 12, also tested positive for the virus.

According to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, the wife’s specimen sample will also be sent to PGC for sequencing.

The couple is currently on strict home quarantine.

Their three minor children, meanwhile, tested negative for the virus and are currently staying with their relatives. However, Treñas added the children will again take swab tests.

Treñas, through Executive Order No. 67, already ordered to place the residence and workplace of the patient under surgical lockdown for a period of 120 hours effective immediately until August 3 unless a longer period is required to conduct the disinfection, mandatory random testing, and other local health interventions of the city government.

Extensive contact tracing and RT-PCR testing for the patient’s co-workers will also be conducted.

Treñas assured that the city will do its best to stop the spread of this virus for the safety of the community. (Glenda Tayona)/WDJ