The Department of Health (DOH) said that it is now keeping an eye on three COVID-19 virus variants, including the variant identified in the United Kingdom.
"Sa ngayon, meron na tayong tatlong variant na binabantayan. Ito yung sa UK na type na variant, South Africa na variant, and then there was this identified variant din sa Malaysia. Ito yung tatlo na atin na pong binabantayan ," said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing on Friday.
The UK and the South African variants of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were not detected in the 305 samples that were recently analyzed by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC).
Vergeire said that the 305 samples that were analyzed by PGC were just initial numbers, saying that the PGC is continuously conducting genome sequencing to detect if these COVID-19 virus variants have already entered the Philippines.
“This is a continuing surveillance system that we had established already…This will be a continuing thing--- this bio surveillance. We are appropriating funds to the PGC so that we can sustain this because this is important for our surveillance systems,” said the DOH Spokesperson.
Vergeire said that the PGC monitors “the entire genome for patterns of mutations in our local samples any unusual pattern of mutations are being noted.”
“They also do cluster analysis not just with lineage but with the whole genome. So meaning, even if the supposed variant is still not in the radar for surveillance of the country, once the PGC detects unusual mutation patterns, which might be the variant in question, then it will be united and reported to us,” she said.
‘Not out of the woods yet’
The DOH spokesperson reminded the public to still continue to be vigilant as the Philippines is “not out of the woods yet” with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a recent press briefing, Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the “worst is over” when it comes to the country’s fight against COVID-19 as he reacted to the projection of Moody's Analytics that the Philippines might be the last country in Asia-Pacific region to recover from the pandemic.
“I don't think that this is the time for us to make conclusions at this point in our situation regarding this pandemic. Alam po natin na maraming factors at challenges na kailangan tayong harapin ,” said Vergeire.
“Unang-una, nakikita natin itong variant na sinasabi--itong virus na ito--- halos marami na pong bansa ang nagi-identify na meron and apparently based on evidence, this increases transmissibility from 60 to 70 percent. So we are not out of the woods yet. Yung recent trends natin na nakikita natin ngayon ay medyo hindi po sya stable. ,” she added.
Vergeire urged the public to continue practicing the health protocols to maintain the low number of daily cases.
“Gusto ko lang magpa-alala sa ating mga kababayan kahit na anong variant iyan, kahit anong strain, kahit anong mutation, ituloy lang natin ang minimum health standards ,” she said.
“Kasi with all of this news about the strains, variants, and mutations hindi naman po nabago ang mode of transmission, iyon pa rin----droplet infection. Ituloy lang po natin ang minimum public health standards so that we can keep the cases low ,” she added.