MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) is currently monitoring at least three variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including that of the United Kingdom.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday said apart from the variant that was first detected in the UK, they are also monitoring two new virus mutations from South Africa and Malaysia.
“Sa ngayon, meron na tayong tatlong variant na binabantayan. Ito ‘yung sa UK type na variant, ‘yung sa South Africa and there was this identified na variant din dito sa Malaysia,” Vergeire said in a virtual presser on Friday.
She also noted that the Philippine Genome Center has not detected any coronavirus variant in more than 300 samples that earlier underwent gene sequencing.
“This is a continuing surveillance system that we have established already,” Vergeire said. “The DOH has coordinated with regional offices to source samples from Mindanao and Visayas.”
Vergeire also reminded the public that regardless of variant, COVID-19 can be prevented by observing the same minimum health protocols.
“Hindi po nag-change ng mode of transmission. Kung paano nakakapanghawa ang sakit na ito, pareho pa rin po kahit na may variant,” Vergeire said.
Earlier this week, a Filipina domestic helper who arrived in Hong Kong tested positive for the UK variant of the new coronavirus. Her close contacts in the Philippines have since been tested and quarantined./PN
