Various countries are now monitoring the developments with regard the new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as these could trigger a rapid rise in the number of cases.
The Philippines is not spared from the threat of these coronavirus variants. Health authorities have already detected the presence of Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma--- all considered "variants of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Meanwhile, the Health authorities have also detected the presence of the Lambda variant, which is considered a "variant of interest," according to the WHO.
There’s also the Theta, the coronavirus variant that was first detected in the Philippines. It was first classified as a variant of interest but was downgraded to "alerts for further monitoring" by the WHO.
Variants classifications
The WHO classified the SARS-CoV-2 variants into three categories: variants of concern (VOC), variant of interests (VOI), and alerts for further monitoring.
VOC is associated with increase in transmissibility, increase in virulence, and may "decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics,” the WHO said.
VOI is with "genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape," the WHO said.
A variant classified under the alerts for further monitoring is defined as those with “genetic changes that are suspected to affect virus characteristics with some indication that it may pose a future risk, but evidence of phenotypic or epidemiological impact is currently unclear, requiring enhanced monitoring and further assessment pending new evidence,” the WHO said.
Alpha variant
The B.1.1.7 variant, now known as the Alpha, was first detected in the United Kingdom in September 2020.
This variant is about 50 percent more contagious as compared to the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the US CDC.
“In January 2021, scientists from (the) UK reported evidence that suggests the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared with other variants,” the US CDC stated.
The first case of Alpha variant in the country, involving a returning overseas Filipino from the United Arab Emirates, was announced by the Department of Health (DOH) last Jan. 13, 2021. As of Aug. 23, a total of 2,332 Alpha variant cases were already detected nationwide.
READ MORE: UK variant of COVID-19 now in PH
Beta variant
The B.1.351 or the Beta variant was first found in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa in October 2020.
The US CDC said this variant is almost 50 percent more transmissible than the original virus.
“Currently there is no evidence to suggest that this variant has any impact on disease severity,” the US CDC said.
“While there is no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease, the pattern of mutations within this variant suggests higher transmissibility and may have an impact on vaccine efficacy,” the DOH said in a statement last March 2.
The DOH on Aug. 23 announced that there was already a community transmission of the Delta variant in Metro Manila and Calabarzon. The confirmation was based on two criteria: "Large numbers of Delta cases" and that "case investigations and phylogenetic analysis showed that these cases cannot be epidemiologically linked to each other nor source/s of infection determined."
Meanwhile, further evidence is needed to “support the announcement of the whole country to have community transmission of the Delta variant."
"Analysis of the latest sequencing results for the determination of community transmission is ongoing for other regions. The DOH, the national government, and the local government units however have since responded as if there is already community transmission," the DOH said.
READ MORE: PH confirms six cases of South African COVID-19 variant, 30 additional cases of UK variant
Gamma variant
The P.1 or the Gamma variant was "first reported by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) in Japan," the US CDC said. It was found in four travelers from Brazil, "sampled during routine screening at Haneda airport outside Tokyo," it added.
Citing the US CDC, the DOH said that “there is evidence to suggest that transmissibility and the ability of antibodies generated through previous infection is affected by some mutations of this variant.”
The Philippines detected its first Gamma variant case last March 13, involving a returning overseas Filipino from Brazil. Only two cases of this variant have so far been detected nationwide as of Aug. 23.
Delta variant
The B.1.617.2 or the Delta variant was first found in India last year. The Philippines announced its first two cases of this variant last May 11. A total of 1,273 cases have already been detected across the country as of Aug. 23.
“The Delta variant compared to, for example, the original virus that had been circulating very early on last year, the comparison is that it is transmitted much more efficiently,” said American infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“It has a combination of mutations which make it much more transmissible...It’s at least two times as transmissible as the original virus,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan.
Swaminathan added that “the chances of one person spreading it to two people could spread it to four, six, or even eight people.”
READ MORE: DOH detects 2 cases of India’s COVID-19 variant in PH
Lambda variant
The Philippines confirmed its first Lambda variant case last Aug. 15.
The Lambda variant was first identified in Peru in August 2020 and was classified as a VOI by the WHO on June 14, 2021, according to the DOH.
"This VOI has the potential to affect the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 and is currently being monitored for its possible clinical significance," the DOH added
READ MORE: DOH confirms 1st case of Lambda COVID-19 virus variant in PH
Theta variant
The Theta or the P.3 variant was first detected in the Philippines last March 13. As of this writing, 388 cases have been detected.
Local health authorities said last March that this variant is still "not identified as a variant of concern as current available data are insufficient to conclude whether the variant will have significant public health implications."
The WHO is currently studying the characteristics of this variant.
“We are supporting the (Philippine) government in its effort to understand what are the effects of P.3 variant. This is new and we are trying to understand this,” said WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe last March 19.
“At this time, we don't see any associated increased transmissibility, any increased severity in disease in people who have been carrying the P.3 variant,” he added.
Last July 13, the Philippine Genome Center announced that the WHO removed Theta variant from the list VOIs and reclassified it as "alerts for further monitoring."
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/13/covid-19-virus-variant-first-found-in-ph-removed-from-whos-list-of-variants-of-interest-pgc-exec/, DOH confirms new coronavirus variant from PH