Experts earlier warned that the B.1.351 variant could affect the efficacy of some vaccines such as AstraZeneca’s.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 10) — The Philippines recorded nearly 200 new cases of the highly contagious COVID-19 variant first detected in South Africa, as well as 190 cases from the other variants present in the country, the Department of Health announced on Saturday.
The DOH said of the 192 cases of the B.1.351 variant from South Africa, one of them is a returning overseas Filipino, 143 are local cases, while 48 are still under verification on whether they are local or from abroad. Three of the infected patients have died, two are active or currently battling the disease, and 187 have recovered.
The agency also reported 170 new cases of the B.1.1.7 variant from the United Kingdom. Eight are returning overseas Filipinos, 119 are local, while 43 are under verification. Two of the patients have died and the remaining 168 have recovered.
On the P.3 variant first detected in the country, the DOH found 19 new cases. Two are overseas Filipinos, ten are local cases, while seven are being verified. All of these patients have recovered.
Meanwhile, there was a lone new case of the P.1 variant first found in Brazil. The patient lives in the Soccsksargen region and is still reportedly sick, according to the DOH.
Along with the Philippine Genome Center and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health, the department said it found the variants among two batches of samples — 25 samples sequenced on March 28, and 1,336 samples sequenced between March 28 and April 8.
The Philippines has been tallying record-breaking COVID-19 infections the past month, forcing Metro Manila and nearby provinces into lockdown. Health officials have blamed the spread of the more transmissible variants and increased mobility of the public due to eased restrictions for the surge.
