BACOLOD City – This city is closely monitoring the new “FLiRT” variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
FLiRT is an acronym coined from the technical names of the mutations that caused the family of new COVID-19 variants, usually with lineage names starting with KP or JN.
These variants have been detected in Singapore, Thailand, India, China, Hong Kong, Nepal, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and 14 countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez reminded everyone anew that COVID-19 is still around the corner, adding that recent increase in cases were noted in some countries due to FLiRT variants.
The city mayor has also directed the City Health Office (CHO) to monitor the situation and prepare the necessary health response plan regarding this health issue.
The CHO, meanwhile, encouraged the public to wear facemask when in an enclosed setting, particularly those who have flu or any respiratory tract infection, immunocompromised individuals, senior citizens, and children.
It added that getting vaccinated against flu and pneumonia could prevent further complications from COVID-19.
On Monday, May 27, the country’s airports and seaports have been placed on “heightened” alert to “thoroughly” screen foreigners or Filipinos coming from countries with reported cases of the new FLiRT variants.
The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that its Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) issued Bureau Memorandum No. 2024-48 dated May 24, 2024 stating that “all stations have been directed to conduct thorough screening at Points of Entry for arriving visitors originating from countries where COVID FLiRT incidents have been detected.”
The DOH, however, has yet to confirm if FLiRT variants have been detected in the country, pending a biosurveillance report from the Philippine Genome Center of the University of the Philippines, which conducts whole-genome sequencing on swab samples of COVID-19 patients.
For Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, it was “possible” that the new COVID-19 variants were already spreading locally and causing the uptick in reported cases, but assured the public it was “not serious.”
The DOH has recorded 877 new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 125 cases reported per day, from May 7 to May 13. (With a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)/PN