The Philippines still remains free from the new variant of COVID-19 virus, the Department of Health (DoH) announced on Wednesday.
“Amid speculations that the UK variant (B.1.1.7) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is already in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DoH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) today report that the said variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not yet been detected in the country,” the DoH said in a statement.
The DoH said that the new variant of COVID-19 virus was not detected in “any of the 305 positive samples submitted” to the PGC that conducted “genome sequencing.”
“The 305 samples analyzed by PGC were composed of positive samples from November-December hospital admissions and from inbound travelers who tested positive upon arrival at the airport,” the DOH said.
The DoH also assures that it is in close coordination with Hong Kong officials after a passenger from the Philippines was detected to have the new variant of COVID-19 virus.
“The Department is in close coordination with Hong Kong’s International Health Regulations focal point to secure official notification and other pertinent information regarding the Hong Kong resident who tested positive for the variant following travel history from the Philippines,” it said.
“We have initiated coordination already with the IHR (International Health Regulations) Focal Point in HK (Hong Kong) to request further details,” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“Also retrieving the flight manifest for the identified flight. We will be informing as soon as we get complete information,” she added.
In a report from Asia Times, Hong Kong officials bared that they detected the presence of the new coronavirus variant from a passenger from the Philippines who arrived in Hong Kong last December 22.
Meanwhile, the health department reminded the public to continue practicing the minimum public health standards.
“The DoH calls on all local government units and the transport regulators to continuously implement the health protocols in all settings,” it said.
“Strictly following the minimum public health standards (MPHS) is still the best measure to cut transmission of the variant and minimize the opportunities for virus mutation,” it added.
