DOH detects more cases of COVID-19 variants

The Department of Health (DOH) reported more patients with new variants of coronavirus in the country.  

The DOH said that 46 additional cases with the variant first detected in the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7) were detected, 62 additional patients with variant first found in South Africa (B.1.351), and six more cases with the variant first found in the Philippines. 

“These additional cases were among the 150 samples composed mostly of samples from National Capital Region laboratories,” the DOH said in a statement on Saturday, March 20. 

Of the additional B.1.1.7 variant cases, 36 were local cases from the NCR, two are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), and eight cases were being verified if they are local or Returning Overseas Filipino cases, the DOH said. 

This brought the total number of B.1.1.7 cases in the country to 223. 

Of the additional  B.1.351 variant cases, 43 were local cases, wherein 41 were from NCR and two  were from Calabarzon. The other 19 cases “are being verified if  they are local or ROF cases.”

This pushed the total number of B.1.351 cases in the country to 152. 

Meanwhile, for the additional cases of P.3 variant,  four were local cases and two were being “verified if they are local cases or ROFs,” the DOH said. 

The total number of P.3 variant cases in the Philippines stood at 104. 

The DOH urged the public again to strictly follow the health protocols. 

“Strict adherence to the minimum public health standards in all private and public settings is strongly emphasized to minimize COVID-19 transmission and avoid further mutations,” it said. 

“The DOH urges the public to stay at home unless extremely necessary and remember to avoid the three C’s (Closed spaces, Crowded places, and Close contact settings),” it added.