MANILA, Philippines — The health department on Saturday said it has not detected the new coronavirus variant first seen in the United Kingdom in the latest batch of samples to undergo sequencing.
Officials in a statement last night said the Philippine Genome Center was able to test only 48 samples, citing a "global shortage" of sequencing reagents.
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From the said figure of samples, 23 were from Metro Manila, mostly from Quezon City, 19 from Calabarzon mostly from Laguna, four from the Cordillera Administrative Region while two were samples from returning overseas Filipinos.
"The DOH also reports that seven of these cases are already tagged as recovered, while the rest are active that either asymptomatic or mild cases," the agency added.
Health authorities added that the genome center will also run another sequencing for 48 more samples for the new week, including those from CAR and other targeted areas.
The development keeps the Philippines' count of infected from the variant said to be more infectious at 17, 12 of which are from Bontoc in Mountain Province, less than a month since it reached the country's shores on January 13.
Government has since said that it would not extend the travel restrictions it imposed in 35 countries in a bid to prevent more variant cases, with the ban expiring as the first month of the year comes to a close.
By February 1, foreigners arriving in the country would be required to make reservations in any accredited quarantine hotel or facility for at least a week, per Palace's pronouncement.
"While no new cases have been detected, the DOH reiterates that the minimum public health standards remain the best precautionary measure against COVID-19 infection, regardless of the variant," the department added. — Christian Deiparine