Aside from complacency, the emergence of "highly transmissible" variants contributes to the surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country, according to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC).
PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Saloma said that "a lot" of factors contribute to the surge of COVID-19 cases but mainly it is due to the "increased complacency" of Filipinos because of the vaccination rollout.
Another factor for the high infection rate, she said, is the emergence of COVID-19 variants that is easily transmitted among family members.
"There is this increased complacency probably the enthusiasm for the vaccine. And against that backdrop is the presence of these highly transmissible viruses which we believe is really, really spreading through our homes," Saloma said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Tuesday, April 6.
"So nakita naman ninyo yung kanyang virus mutations naitala na nagmutate siya saka maganda yung kapit nya doon sa ating ACE2 receptor kaya kung in the home setting madali talaga siyang magspread kasi syempre tayo kumakain sabay-sabay di ba? At because of its ability to attach very well or efficiently into the receptor so ‘yan and together with of course yung lower complacency ng mga tao nagcombine-combine siya na tumaas yung ating mga cases," she added.
(These virus mutations bind perfectly with the ACE2 receptor. So in the home setting, it can really spread easily because we eat at the same time right? And because of its ability to attach very well or efficiently into the receptor, that together with of course the lower complacency of the people, when combined, contribute to the increase in the cases.)
So far, Saloma said PGC has sequenced 4,751 COVID-19 samples around the country.
Of this number, 4,050 are with a lineage of new variants.
Three COVID-19 variants of concern, B.1.1.7 or the UK was found in 237 cases; B.1.351 or the South Africa variant was found in 163 cases, and P.1 or Brazil variant was found in one sample.
The P.3 variant, which is a variant under investigation, was found in 104 cases.
"Sa Pilipinas, naitala na natin dati pa na ang pinakamarami sa na-sequence natin are not really the variants of concern. Itong mga sinasabing Hong Kong at UAE variant, ito talaga ang marami sa ating bansa. (In the Philippines, we have already recorded that most of the variants we have sequenced are not really the variants of concern. The dominant variants in the country are the so-called Hong Kong and UAE variants)," Saloma said.
Of the sequenced samples, Saloma said only 9.9 percent were variants of concern.
However, she pointed out that the UK and South Africa variants are 50 percent more transmissible.
"So far, the UK variant, its fatality rate is much higher among older individuals and has increased transmissibility. there is no data yet in terms of comorbidity," Saloma said.
"For the South African variant, there is increased transmissibility. There is also a possibility that the efficacy of vaccines somewhat decreases," she added.
Saloma also said that studies are ongoing for the P.3 variant but based on initial observation, patients only showed mild symptoms while some were asymptomatic.
"There is no enough evidence that it (P.3) causes severe symptoms or increased fatality," she said.