Variants ‘not yet dominant’ – DoH
THE Department of Health (DoH) believes that Covid-19 variants are not driving the pandemic in the country despite the rise in variant cases detected through genome sequencing.
Last Sunday, the DoH reported 642 out of the 752 samples sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) were either B.117, B.1.351, or the P.3 variants of Covid-19.
B.117 and B.1.351 are considered “variants of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO), while P.3, first detected in Central Visayas, is a variant still under investigation.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Monday she
cannot say if the surge were caused by variants because the department was only receiving “bits and pieces” of samples from the regions.
“It is not conclusive to say that the variants have taken over and it is the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV2 virus in the country,” Vergeire said.
More weeks of sequencing and analysis is needed to confirm if any of the two variants of concern have become the “dominant” strain in the country.
She said the WHO has not yet determined if the variant transmission has reached a level that could be considered as a community spread.
“Hanggang ngayon, wala pa ho tayong rekomendasyon mula sa (Until now, we do not have a recommendation from the) WHO if we will classify Metro Manila, for example, as having community transmission,” Vergeire said.
The confirmation of a community spread of variants of concern will have implications not just in the country but also across the globe, she said.
The DoH is working with the WHO in trying to improve its biosurveillance since the PGC can only sequence 750 samples weekly.
The sequenced samples show a high concentration of variant cases in the National Capital Region and Northern Luzon, while Central Visayas still has the biggest number of P.3 cases.
Vergeire said the effects of the 14-day enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the subsequent modified ECQ in Metro Manila and four outlying provinces will only be felt days after its implementation.
She also said the DoH was trying to determine if the triage system adopted by local government units and hospitals was working.
“Masyado pang maaga para magsabi tayo na ito ay umeepekto, bigyan pa natin ng ilang araw at tignan natin ang epekto ng mga dagdag na kama at institutionalized triage system sa local government units,” she said. (It’s too early to say if it is working. We need to see this for a few days and see the effect of additional beds and institutionalized triage system for local government units.)
On Monday, the country posted its highest Covid recovery figure at 9,266, overshadowing the 9,628 new cases reported.
Total cases were at 945,745, of which, 83.4 percent, or 783,222 have fully recovered.
The virus has claimed 16,048 lives.
In a related development, Philippine air carriers suspended flights to Hong Kong for the next two weeks starting today, April 20, after the N501Y mutant strain was detected in the Asian financial hub for the first time.
The ban applies to travelers from India, Pakistan and the Philippines, countries which are now categorized as “extremely high risk.”
Hong Kong has reported multiple imported cases carrying the strain in the past 14 days.
The Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Air have notified their passengers that will be affected due to the restrictions and limitations.
PAL passengers have until June 30 to convert their ticket to a travel voucher.
A passenger can take advantage of unlimited (no rebooking fee) until December 31. Passengers completing travel in the same booking class by June 30 will be exempt from a fare difference charge.
Passengers can also refund ticket without penalties.
Steve Dailisan, spokesman for AirAsia Philippines, said the airline “has not resumed international flights except repatriation and chartered flights.”
“We are working on the inoculation of frontliner Allstars starting next month. Our target is to vaccinate pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and those with direct engagements among our guests,” Dailisan said.
According to reports, anyone from the three high-risk countries already quarantined in Hong Kong must get tested again on their 26th day of isolation.
The special administrative region reported 30 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, 29 of which were imported, marking the highest daily toll since March 15.
It has recorded a total of over 11,600 cases and 209 deaths.
Hong Kong authorities have been urging residents to get vaccinated for coronavirus. Only around 9 percent of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents have received shots so far, the reports said.