The Health Department denies that the new coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom is already in the Philippines.
“Amid speculations that the UK variant (B.1.1.7) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is already in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) today reported that the said variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not yet been detected in the country,” the DOH said in a statement on January 6.
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The health department said that the Genome center conducted analysis on the specimen of COVID-19 positive individuals who arrived in the country.
“Based on the lineage analysis through whole genome sequencing done by the PGC, the UK variant was not detected in any of the 305 positive samples submitted to them from nine (9) institutions. The 305 samples analysed by PGC were composed of positive samples from November-December hospital admissions and from inbound travelers who tested positive upon arrival at the airport,” the statement added.
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The DOH issued the statement after reports that a passenger from Manila arrived in Hong Kong with the new strain of COVID-19.
“Moreover, the Department is in close coordination with Hong Kong’s International Health Regulations focal point to secure official notification and other pertinent information regarding the Hong Kong resident who tested positive for the variant following travel history from the Philippines,” the statement added. (TDT)
