Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — The P.3 variant first found in the Philippines remains a “variant of interest” as it does not appear to have increased transmissibility, a World Health Organization official said Monday.
Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines, said the so-called P.3 cannot be considered yet as a variant of concern as the WHO is still looking at its severity and transmission potential.
However, he also noted that the evidence they are seeing in “Central Visayas and Cebu indicates that this probably does not have increased transmissibility.”
Abeyasinghe added that the P.3 variant has been isolated in Japan and the Philippines.
The Department of Health in March confirmed that a new coronavirus variant called P.3 has been traced to the country.
READ: More cases of COVID-19 variants detected in PH
Over the weekend, the DOH said more variants of COVID-19 have been detected in the Philippines.
In a statement, it said there are 266 more cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, 351 cases of the B.1.351 variant and 25 additional cases of the P.3 variant.
