Department of Health-Bicol office in Legazpi City (File photo courtesy of DOH- Bicol)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) regional office in Bicol on Monday said there is no spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) variants in the region.
Dr. Ferchito Avelino, DOH assistant regional director, announced in a news briefing that there are no other cases yet of any new Covid-19 variant in Bicol except for one returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Camarines Sur who had undergone mandatory quarantine in Manila.
Bicolanos have expressed fear that a new Covid-19 variant had triggered the rising number of cases in the region.
Avelino assured, however, said that the returning OFW from Camarines Sur who tested positive for the United Kingdom (UK) variant was properly managed.
The DOH, University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) had said in a report that Bicol was not included in the list of regions with new Covid-19 variants such as the B.1.1.7 or UK variant, B.1.351 or the South African variant, and the P.3 variant that is under investigation after being detected in the Philippines.
The report showed that as of April 20, cases of the B.1.1.7 (UK variant) were detected in Cordillera, Regions, 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 10, 12, 13 and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Regions detected with cases of the B.1.351 (South African) variant are Cordillera, Regions 1, 4-A, NCR and 13.
For the P.3 variant, cases were reported in Regions 4-A, 10, 13, and NCR. (PNA)
