OCTA research group said that the Lambda variant is not yet a cause for concern for now but insists that the Delta variant is the one driving new cases.
“Variant of interest ang Lambda. Hindi pa naman siya variant of concern. Kulang pa ang impormasyon kung mas nakakahawa siya o vaccine resistant siya,” OCTA professor Guido David said.
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“Wala pa tayong masyadong impormasyon. Hindi pa tayo puwedeng maging alarmed sa Lambda variant. Ang Delta variant talaga ang pinaka-primary threat dito sa ating bansa sa ngayon,” he added.
David however said that people should remain cautious on the threat of the new variant.
“Hindi naman ibig sabihin i-overlook natin ang Lambda. Babantayan din natin ‘yon,” Guido said.
On Sunday, the has reported that it has detected the first case of Lambda COVID-19 variant which is currently wreaking havoc in South America.
READ ON: DOH: First case of Lambda variant in PH a pregnant woman, not an OFW
The Lambda variant case is a 35-year old female. The DOH is still investigating if the case is a local or a returning overseas Filipino.
“The case was asymptomatic and tagged as Recovered after undergoing the 10-day isolation period. The DOH is currently conducting back tracing and case investigation,” the DOH said in a statement.
The Lambda variant, first identified in Peru in August 2020, was classified as a Variant of Interest (VOI) by the World Health Organization on June 14, 2021.