HEALTH authorities have detected additional cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) with the B.1.351 variant (South Africa), B.1.1.7 variant (UK) and “mutations of potential clinical significance.”
In a statement on Friday, March 5, 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) said there were 52 more B.1.351 cases, additional 31 B.1.1.7 cases and 42 more cases with mutations.
These increased the number of variant cases to 58 for the B.1.351 variant and 118 for the B.1.1.7 variant. There are now 76 cases with mutations.
The new cases were found among 350 samples that composed the ninth batch of coronavirus-positive specimens sequenced by the University of the Philippines Philippine Genome Center (PGC).
The samples were taken from the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Visayas as well as from returning overseas Filipinos (ROF).
Among the 52 cases with the B.1.351 lineage, 41 have indicative addresses in NCR. The DOH was still verifying whether the remaining 11 cases are local cases or ROFs.
One case from NCR has recovered while the 51 other cases are active and being managed.
Of the 31 B.1.1.7 variant cases, 28 have indicative addresses in NCR. Three cases are under verification.
All these 31 cases are active.
Among the 42 cases with "mutations of potential clinical significance” are 34 with indicative addresses in Central Visayas and six in NCR. Two were being verified.
Twenty-two of the 42 cases have recovered while the remaining 20 are active cases. (HDT / SunStar Philippines)