DoH tests samples for UK coronavirus strain

Health authorities are testing coronavirus samples from northern Philippines for strains similar to the one first detected in the UK.

Samples from hospitals with severe and critical cases as well as jails will also be checked.

There are now 17 confirmed cases of the new strain in the Philippines, including eight returning overseas Filipinos in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

As of Monday, 34 close contacts of the infected individuals have tested positive for the virus, while six were negative for the new variant.