MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday urged the public to strictly observe minimum public health standards following the detection of the more transmissible UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the country.
SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a statement, the department reiterated that the mode of transmission of Covid-19 has not changed.
The DOH and the Philippine Genome Center confirmed the detection of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant (UK variant) in the country after samples from a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 7 yielded positive genome sequencing results.
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The patient is a male resident of Quezon City who left for Dubai on Dec. 27, 2020 for a business trip and arrived in the Philippines last Jan. 7 via Emirates Flight No. EK 332.
"Local government units are also urged to be extra vigilant and ensure strict implementation of existing quarantine and isolation protocols," the DOH said. (PNA)
