MANILA – The new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) identified as B.1.1.7, has not yet reached the Philippines, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) has not yet detected the new variant on the 305 samples analyzed.
“Based on the lineage analysis through whole genome sequencing done by the PGC, the UK variant was not detected in any of the 305 positive samples submitted to them from nine institutions,” Vergeire said in a virtual presser.
The samples were obtained from hospital admissions spanning November to December last year and from inbound travelers who tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival to the country.
Despite the absence of the new COVID-19 variant in the country, Vergeire called on all local government units and transport regulators to continuously implement and follow minimum public health standards.
“Social distancing, frequent hand washing, wearing of face mask and face shield are the best ways to cut transmission of the variant and minimize the opportunities for virus mutation,” Vergeire said.
A new coronavirus variant linked to mutations involving spike protein that COVID-19 uses to infect human cells was recently seen in the United Kingdom. It has since entered other countries.
The Philippines has imposed travel restrictions on 21 countries until Jan. 15.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has also created a panel of experts that will monitor and identify the occurrence of the new coronavirus variants in the country./PN
