Philippines detects first local transmission of Delta variant

The Philippines has detected its first locally acquired cases of the more infectious Delta coronavirus variant, the health ministry said on Friday. Of the 16 new COVID-19 cases with the Delta variant, 11 were tagged as locally acquired cases, health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a news conference.

The variant, first detected in India, has been blamed as the key factor for a surge in cases in neigbouring countries including Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.