by Ana Rufa Padua

Two cases of the B.1.617 variant were detected in the Philippines by the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday, May 11. 

The B.1.617 is a COVID-19 variant first detected in India and Europe and has been proclaimed a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeir, both cases were found in the samples of returning overseas Filipinos last April. One of the persons of interest (POI) came from Oman, while the other POI came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Records showed that both POIs have no travel history of going to or passing through India, where the first case of the variant was discovered. 

In a news conference, the director of DOH Epidemiology Bureau, Alethea De Guzman, said that both cases were put under isolation upon arrival and have both recovered since then. 

B.1.617 is said to be a “double mutant” or a variant that has two mutations, the L452R and E484Q which affect the efficacy of vaccines. 

Maria Van Kerkhove, PhD, and WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19 says that public health measures such as social distancing and wearing masks “seem to work” against B.1.617.

More details about the variant will be released in WHO’s COVID-19 weekly situation report tomorrow.

REFERENCES:

• Magsambol, B. (2021, May 11). Philippines detects 2 cases of COVID-19 India variant. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-detects-cases-covid-19-india-variant-may-11-2021
• Schnirring, L. (2021, May 10). WHO names B1617 fourth COVID-19 variant of concern. CIDRAP. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/05/who-names-b1617-fourth-covid-19-variant-concern