2 unknown COVID-19 variants found in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — Two still undetermined variants of COVID-19 have been found in Cebu from patients set to undergo genome sequencing, the Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas office reported yesterday.

”There are two mutations of concern found in 37 of 50 samples... 29 out of these 50 had co-occurence of these two mutations,” DOH regional spokesperson Mary Jean Loreche said.

Loreche said the samples, which came from patients in Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu province, were sent to the Philippine Genome Center from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.

She said the two mutations are known as E484K and N501Y.

”These are now what we call a variant of concern. There is no name yet. They have not identified the entire sequence,” Loreche told a virtual press briefing.

”Whether these are going to be more virulent... or cause a more severe disease or more pathogenic... we have to wait,” she said.

DOH Central Visayas director Jaime Bernadas said the mutations need further surveillance and studies.

Cebu cases still rising

Meanwhile, OCTA Research Group’s latest monitoring report showed that Cebu City still has the most number of cases, with an average of 202 daily cases recorded from Feb. 10 to 16.

The number of new cases was higher than the average of 124 recorded in the preceding week.

Cebu City recorded a positivity rate, which refers to the number of positive results out of the total tests conducted, of 13 percent.

Hospital bed occupancy was at 49 percent, 21 percent below the critical level of 70 percent.

OCTA said the cities of Lapu Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay also recorded an increase in the number of average daily cases.

Mandaue moved to high-risk classification after recording a spike in the daily attack rate or the number of new cases per 100,000 population in the past two weeks.

The positivity rate in the city increased to 18 percent while hospital occupancy rose to 54 percent.

Lapu Lapu moved closer to high-risk classification after its hospital occupancy exceeded the critical level this week.

Talisay recorded an increase in new cases while hospital occupancy was at 83 percent.

Outside Central Visayas, OCTA noted a rise in new cases in Tabuk, Kalinga and Cagayan de Oro in the past two weeks. – Janvic Mateo