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PH COVID-19 cases may increase up to '28 times' if coronavirus variants become dominant
PH COVID-19 cases may increase up to '28 times' if coronavirus variants become dominant
The Department of Health (DOH) warned that the country may see a 28-fold increase in coronavirus disease cases if "variants of concern" become dominant.
The variants of concern have only been detected in less than seven percent of the total samples that were subjected to genome sequencing, said Dr. Alethea De Guzman, officer-in-charge of the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau on Wednesday, March 17.
"Ayaw nating umabot sa punto na lahat na ng samples na nase sequence natin ay magiging variants of concern na (We don't want to reach to the point where we will detect the variants of concern in all of the samples that we will be sequencing)," said De Guzman.
"Kapag ganun, itong nakikita nating pagtaas hindi lang three times, four times. Pwedeng up to 28 times yung increase na makita natin, and that would truly overwhelm our health system (If that happens, we may see an increase not just three times, four times, it can be up to 28 times and that would truly overwhelm our health system)," she added.
The DOH is currently monitoring three variants of concern namely the B.1.1.7 which was first found in the United Kingdom, the B.1.351 first detected in South Africa, and the P.1 first detected in Brazil.
Also, the DOH is monitoring the presence of the P.3 variant which was first detected in the Philippines. This variant is not yet “identified as a variant of concern as current available data are insufficient to conclude whether the variant will have significant public health implications,” the DOH previously said.
De Guzman said that it is imperative to control the spread of the coronavirus variants as soon as possible.
"Napakahalaga na ngayong maliit na porsyento pa lamang ng ating sini-sequence ang nagpopositibo sa mga variants of concern. Ibig sabihin, we really have the opportunity now na matigil na ito, na huwag nang lalo pang lumaki ang dami at porsyento ng mga nagiging positibo para sa variants of concern (It is important that the samples being sequenced and turned out positive with variants of concern is still at a small percentage. This means, we really have the opportunity to put a stop into this and that the percentage of those testing positive for the variants of concern do not increase further)," she said.