DOH logs 18 more UK Covid-19 variant cases

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH), University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and the UP-National Institutes of Health on Sunday reported 18 more cases of B.1.1.7 or United Kingdom (UK) variant of the coronavirus in the country.

In a statement, the DOH said the new cases came from the seventh batch of 757 samples sequenced by the UP-PGC on Feb. 18, bringing the total number of UK variant cases nationwide to 62.

The DOH said 13 of the new UK variant cases are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) who arrived in the country between Jan. 3 and 27.

“All of these cases are now tagged as recovered and the DOH is currently investigating compliance to isolation protocols and the contact tracing done for these ROFs,” the DOH said.

The three other UK variant cases, it said, are from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) who are also now tagged as recovered and all close contacts have completed quarantine.

The DOH is still verifying whether the two new remaining cases are also ROFs.

Meanwhile, the DOH, UP-PGC, and UP-National Institutes of Health said additional sample from Region 7 (Central Visayas) belonging to the sixth genome sequencing batch was found to have both N501Y and E484K mutations.

It added that two among the 80 samples from the seventh genome sequencing batch were also found to have both N501Y and E484K mutations. These two samples are also from Central Visayas that increased the overall tally of these mutations to 34.

The Center for Health Development Central Visayas has been notified of the additional cases found with the two mutations and investigation is now underway to help curb the transmission.

Through the Bureau of Quarantine, Centers for Health Development, and regional epidemiology and surveillance units, the DOH initiated a case investigation and contact tracing for these new mutations in close coordination with local government units, local health offices, local epidemiology and surveillance units, and law enforcement authorities.

To help the global effort to track and study new and emerging genomic changes in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the DOH as well as UP-PGC and UP-National Institutes of Health will submit the new findings to the World Health Organization and the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data.

These data could be used by vaccine manufacturers to recalibrate vaccines and ensure efficacy against Covid-19, it added.

The DOH called on concerned LGUs to closely monitor their respective local situations and implement measures in accordance with the national PDITR (Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat, and Reintegrate) strategy.

It also urged the LGUs to immediately inform the DOH on sharp upticks in cases to activate targeted biosurveillance activities.

“Strictly practice and enforce minimum public health standards in order to lower infection rates and consequently reduce the risk of mutations of potential clinical and epidemiological significance. The goal is to bring down transmission rates to levels where biosurveillance can no longer detect mutations of interest,” the DOH said in a statement.