Samples of 74 positive overseas travelers checked for new coronavirus variant

The samples of 74 overseas travelers who tested positive for COVID-19 are being examined at the Philippine Genome Center and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine to detect the new coronavirus variant.

These travelers arrived between December 22, 2020 and January 3, 2021, with a positivity rate of 2 percent.

Despite testing negative, all returning individuals must still quarantine for 14 days to prevent the entry of the new variant.

The government has imposed temporary travel restrictions from travelers from 21 countries including the UK, Denmark, and South Africa.