On guard vs new Covid-19 variants, gov’t to conduct regular genome sequencing

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will strengthen its genomic biosurveillance through regular sequencing of samples as part of its monitoring of new COVID-19 variants.

In a televised Laging Handa Public Briefing Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said experts are on the lookout for other variants of the coronavirus, not just the new and more transmissible variant that was first detected in United Kingdom.

“Inuumpisahan na po natin itong tinatawag na genomic biosurveillance kung saan linggo linggo na po tayo mangongolekta ng specimens sa ating mga sektor na vulnerable at identified to be at risk para makita natin kung talagang may nagdedevelop ng mga variants dito sa ating bansa,” the DOH official said.

The UK variant, believed to be up to 70% more infectious than the original variant of COVID-19, has yet to be detected in the country, or at least in the latest batch of samples studied by the Philippine Genome Center.

Vergeire, who also heads a newly-created panel tasked to monitor new COVID-19 variants, said results of genome sequencing on another batch of samples will be released this week.

The new batch includes samples from the close contacts of the Filipino domestic worker who tested positive for the UK COVID-19 variant in Hong Kong.

“Ito po ay ilalabas maaring bukas o di kaya sa Biyernes,” Vergeire said.

Hong Kong recently announced that a passenger from Manila tested positive for the UK variant. However, it remains unknown where the said Filipina got infected with the UK variant of COVID-19.

The spread of the UK variant has prompted the Philippines to impose travel restrictions on over 20 countries. The list of countries covered by the temporary travel ban has been regularly updated to include nations that report the detection of new variants.

JE