The Department of Health (DOH) announced that the Philippines has no cases yet of the new coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom.
“This is to clarify that as of January 2,2021, the Philippine Genome Center has not detected the UK variant in the country,” the DOH said in a statement.
The DOH said swab samples taken from travelers from countries with cases of the new COVID-19 variant who later turned out positive for COVID-19 will undergo genome sequencing starting Monday to detect if the novel variation is now in the Philippines.
“All RT-PCR positive specimens from countries with confirmed cases will undergo genome sequencing beginning Monday, January 4, 2021,” the DOH said in a statement.
Currently, the health department is working with relevant agencies to ensure stricter measures to control the entry of the new coronavirus variant.
On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte added the United States to the list of countries banned from entering the country.
Foreign travelers from at least 21 countries are barred from entering the Philippines except returning overseas Filipinos.
Returning Filipinos will have to go to a mandatory 14-day quarantine even if they are negative on their RT-PCR tests.
Photo by Rober Oswald Alfiler (PNA)
