THE new variants of the virus causing Covid-19 in the country remain in check, based on available data of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC).
Citing the result of their ongoing genomic sequencing surveillance, PGC Health Program Director Eva Maria Cutiongco-Dela Paz disclosed that none of the “variants of concern” of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes Covid-19, has become locally “dominant.”
A virus becomes “dominant” if more than 50 percent of the people locally infected with Covid-19 have it.
Since January, PGC conducted 3,000 genomic sequencing as part of government efforts to detect the possible presence of new variants of Covid-19 in the country.
Among the variants being closely monitored by the health officials are from the UK (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), and Brazil (P.1) which are more infectious compared to the usual variety of the disease.
Lowering the risk
Last week, health officials confirmed a total of 58 cases of South African variant and 118 cases of UK variant.
Dela Paz reiterated the statement of the Department of Health (DOH) that currently there is still no confirmed local case of the Brazilian variant. However, she did not disregard the possibility of the Brazilian variant already existing in the country, but yet to be detected by PGC.
Some health experts blamed the presence of the new variants in the country for the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, although this is yet to be confirmed by data.
Based on her observation, dela Paz said the recent surge may also be attributed to the “fatigue” of the public in observing quarantine protocols, which have been going on since March 2020.
“We are already being complacent [in following quarantine protocols]. So we have to reiterate [reminders] to the public to keep the cases of the virus low,” dela Paz said.
She said this will not only allow the country’s critical health care capacity from being overwhelmed, but also minimize the possibility of SARs-COV-2 developing additional mutations, which could be more harmful to people.