The Philippines on May 4 has recorded 678 more cases of COVID-19 variants from 744 samples that underwent whole-genome sequencing as part of biosurveillance measures.
Out of the total, 289 are B.1.1.7 variant cases, 380 are B.1.351 variant cases, and nine are P.3 variant cases.
This was based on the latest report of the Department of Health (DOH), the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH).
A total of 48 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant new cases are returning overseas Filipinos, 185 are local cases, and 56 cases are currently being verified. Based on the case line list, three cases remain active while two have died and 284 have recovered.
As for the B.1.351 variant new cases, 107 cases are returning overseas Filipinos, 196 are local cases, and 77 cases are currently being verified. One case remains active and 379 cases have recovered as of May 4.
Of the nine additional P.3 variant cases, three are returning overseas Filipinos, four are local cases, and two cases are being validated. None of the cases are active.
Health authorities have reiterated that the P.3 variant “is still not identified as a variant of concern (VOC)” due to insufficient data in determining its significant public health implications.
The DOH clarified that the B.1.351 variant which was first identified in South Africa “is the most common variant among the samples sequenced with assigned lineages, contrary to reports that it is now the dominant variant in the country.”
UP-PGC has sequenced 7,167 samples, of which 5,917 were assigned lineages. Of the latter, the B.1.351 comprised 18.2%, the B.1.1.7 comprised 16.0%, the P.3 comprised 2.7%, and the P.1 variant comprised 0.03%. – DOH/AG-jlo
