Local transmission of COVID South African variant? DOH wants to know

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has yet to determine if there is already local transmission of the B.1.351 variant of COVID-19 that originated from South Africa after it was reported there was an uptick of cases.

“Hindi pa ho natin masabi yan sa ngayon, an epidemiologic investigation is being undertaken,” DOH undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the Laging Handa online press briefing.

(We can’t say that as of the moment, an epidemiologic investigation is being undertaken.)

“Kagabi lamang po ay nagkaroon tayo ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa WHO (World Health Organization) at sila po yung uma-assist sila sa atin dito sa surveillance and analysis of this variant,” she added.

(Last night, we had a coordination with the WHO and they are assisting us in the surveillance and analysis of this variant.)

On Tuesday, the DOH confirmed six cases of the South African variant in the country. The variant is said to be more transmissible.

Days later, 52 more cases of the South African variant were reported.

Vergeire, meanwhile, assured that the DOH will be releasing more information on the investigation in the coming days.

/MUF