IHU COVID-19 variant will enter PH ‘whether we like it or not,’ says Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said that the IHU COVID-19 variant will also enter the Philippines “whether we like it or not.”

The B.1.640.2 variant, or the IHU variant, was first discovered in France and has 46 mutations.

“Meanwhile, another variant has also been reported in the so-called IHU variant which was first detected in France last November,” Duterte said during his Talk to the People.

“Dadating rin ito (It will enter the country). Whether we like it or not, dadating ‘to (it will come),” he continued.

During the same taped meeting, Dr. Edsel Salvana, a member of the Department of Health-Technical Advisory Group, noted that the IHU variant is neither a variant of concern nor interest but a variant under monitoring.

READ: New COVID variant ‘IHU’ has been found in France

He also said that it is not as concerning compared to other variants that have been detected in the country despite its number of mutations.

“It’s a variant that is being monitored but it is not yet as concerning as Omicron or Delta or even the other ones po ‘yung Alpha, Beta, at Gamma,” Salvana noted.

“Mutations do not always mean increased infectivity or vaccine deviation,” he stressed.

Salvana further pointed out that the IHU variant is “not a threat this time.”

KGA