DOH confirms 6 South Africa variant cases, 30 UK variant cases in PH

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed six cases of the South Africa coronavirus variant (B.1.351) and 30 additional UK variant (B.1.1.7) cases in the Philippines.

Of the six B.1.351 variant cases, three are local residents of Pasay City, two are returning overseas Filipinos from the UAE and Qatar, and one case's location is still under investigation.

Two of the local cases in Pasay City, a 61-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man, are still active, while a 40-year-old male has recovered.

The samples for these cases were collected between January 27 and February 13.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted a potential link between two of the South Africa variant cases in Pasay City, indicating the need for further investigation into possible local transmission.

The DOH stated that while there is no evidence the South African variant causes more severe disease, its mutations suggest higher transmissibility and may impact vaccine efficacy.