MANILA - Thirty-one voters were sent home for isolation after voting following presentation of COVID-19 symptoms on election day, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

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The individuals were among 644 cases that health workers were able to manage and treat at polling precincts, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Some 57 patients were brought to hospitals, she said.

"Wala naman po tayong nakitang may severe for example na sintomas na nagpunta talaga doon. Yung iba based on detection ro assement ng mag doktor na kasama natin dun po nakita na maaaring COVID related," Vergeire told reporters.

(We didn't see anyone with severe symptoms. Some of the cases were based on detection or assessment of doctors that could be COVID-related.)

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"These were just 31 among all of those who were managed and treated. Marami po sa ini-treat ay may pagtaaas ng presyon, maaaring dulot ng init... the rest minor lang."

(Many of those treated were due to blood pressure increase which may have been caused by the heat...the rest were minor incidents.)

The DOH had observed there were some areas that failed to implement physical distancing during the elections, Vergeire said.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. We have seen violations specifically on physically distancing," she said.

"But as we have said, sa 'Apat Dapat,' tatlo ay sapat na. As long as people are wearing their masks properly, there is adequate ventilation in the classrooms, and also syempre dapat bakunado--sana ang mga bumoto kahapon ay bakunado."

(But as we have said, observing 3 of four health standards is enough. As long as people are wearing their masks properly, there is adequate ventilation in the classrooms, and also we hope those who voted yesterday are vaccinated.)

COVID-19 cases in the country will increase by end of the month if the public's compliance with minimum health standards lowers by 30 to 50 percent, Vergeire said.

"We know the incubation period is 14 days, because of the new variants it may be less than 14 days," she said.

Omicron still dominant

The omicron variant remains prevalent in the Philippines in the latest whole genome sequencing conducted from May 2 to 6, Vergeire said.

Thirty-one of the samples were omicron, 1 was beta variant, and 11 had no lineage assigned, she added.

As of May 9, some 13.5 million individuals have received their booster shots out of the 68 million who are fully vaccinated, according to the DOH. There are 38.7 million more eligible to get the additional jab.

Of the total fully inoculated individuals, 6.7 million were elderly, 9 million were persons with comorbidities, 2.2 million were children aged 5 to 11, and 9.3 million were teens.

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