31 additional UK variant cases also detected
(Eagle News) — The government has detected 52 more South African variant cases in the Philippines.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III added 31 additional United Kingdom variant cases and “42 additional cases with mutations of potential clinical significance” were also monitored.
The additional cases pushed the total South African variant cases to 58, UK variant cases to 118, and cases with mutations of concern to 76.
According to Duque, of the 52 new South African variant cases, 41 were from Metro Manila.
The Department of Health is still validating the locations of the 11 remaining new South African variant cases.
Of the 42 mutations of concern, 34 are from Central Visayas, six are from Metro Manila, and the origins of the two are still being verified.
The Philippines has so far reported 584,667 COVID-19 cases.
The OCTA research group had said the spike in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila was possibly due to the COVID-19 variants already detected in the country.
The DOH earlier reported the detection of the country’s first six South African COVID-19 variant cases. Of these, four were traced to Pasay City.
The first UK variant case was a Quezon City resident who returned to the Philippines following a trip to Dubai.
