New COVID-19 Strain Endemic To Central Visayas Found
PHILIPPINE VARIANT – Health authorities in Central Visayas detected a new COVID-19 strain endemic to the region.
Recently, a Japanese health officials detected a new coronavirus variant from a traveler from the Philippines. Meanwhile, officials in Cebu detected over 70 COVID-19 cases which appear homegrown.
As such, the Philippine variant or P.3., was dubbed as a “mutation of clinical concern”. According to an article from ManilaTimes, the P.3. variant stemmed from the B1128 strain, the most common foundation for SARS-COV-2 mutations.
Likewise, the B1128 also emerged from the P.1 or the Brazilian coronavirus strain. Based on studies on the strain, experts believe it to be more infectious and could even reinfect people who recovered from previous strains.
As per the article, a study on the new variants stated:
The significance of these mutations, particularly the combination of mutations in the spike and other regions of the viral genome, on the transmissibility, pathogenicity, and immunogenicity of this emergent variant remains to be studied
Meanwhile, Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 noted that further studies are required to see if P.3 is more transmissible and more resistant to vaccines.
Additionally, henoted how Cebu was able to isolate the new variant. He explained that the last genomic sequencing data revealed stable numbers of those infected with the new P.3 strain.
“This confirms that our enhanced public healthcare measures work against any variant, whether imported or homegrown“, he said.
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