The Department of Health (DOH) reported another case of the B.1.617.2 variant, raising the total number of cases of this variant in the country to 13.
The B.1.617.2 variant of coronavirus first emerged in India in December last year.
In a statement on Saturday, May 29, the DOH said that the new case involves a returning overseas Filipino.
“The additional B.1.617.2 variant case is a recovered returning overseas Filipino (ROF) from the United Arab Emirates with an indicated address in the Cordillera Administrative Region,” the DOH said.
“The case has completed the 10-day isolation after arrival in the country and was discharged upon certification of recovery,” it added.
Meanwhile, the DOH also detected 104 new cases of the B.1.1.7 variant. This variant was first found in the United Kingdom.
“Of the additional 104 B.1.1.7 variant cases detected, one case is a ROF, 89 are local cases, and 14 are currently being verified if they are local or ROF cases,” the DOH said.
“Based on the case line list, five cases are still active, three cases died while 96 have been tagged as recovered,” it added.
The total B.1.1.7 variant cases now in the country stood 1,071.
Meanwhile, 137 new cases of the B.1.351 variant, which was first found in South Africa, were detected here, the DOH said. The total number of B.1.351 variant cases in the Philippines is now at 1,246.
“Of the additional 137 B.1.351 variant cases, one case is a ROF, 127 are local cases, and nine cases are currently being verified if they are local or ROF cases,” the DOH said.
“Based on the case line list, nine cases are still active, five were fatalities, and 123 have recovered,” it added.
Also, four cases of the homegrown P.3 variant were found, raising the total number of cases to 162.
“Three are local cases and one is currently being verified if this is a local or ROF case. Based on the case line list, all have recovered,” the DOH said.
The DOH called on the public to strictly follow the minimum public health standards (MPHS).
“The detection of additional VOC (variants of concern) cases supports the need for strict adherence to MPHS to minimize risk of exposure and infection and getting vaccinated once it is our turn,” it said.
“Also, despite the local presence of these variants of concern, we can minimize their transmission as well as the emergence of new variants by keeping case numbers down,” it added.