Is the Lambda COVID-19 variant more transmissible than Delta? DOH explains

What do we know about the "Lambda" variant so far?

In an interview on "Unang Balita," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Department of Health (DOH) has been aware of the Lambda strain since December 2020.

The variant was first detected in Peru and it has so far affected more than 30 countries, the DOH official explained.

The DOH official said the Lambda variant had yet to be detected in the Philippines.

Nevertheless, Vergeire said the strain has been considered a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was said to have similar attributes to the contagious Delta variant.

"Ibig sabihin, iba po ito dun sa mga variants of concern. Itong variant of interest na ito sabi nila may attributes din na katulad nung sa Delta variant," the official explained.

[This means it is different from [those classified as] 'variants of concern'. This 'variant of interest' is said to have attributes similar to the Delta variant]

"So aantayin pa natin ang mga pag-aaral pa further ng WHO," she added.

[We'll wait for further studies by WHO]

Though the Lambda variant had yet to be detected in the Philippines, Vergeire said strict monitoring at points of entry remains highly encouraged.

"That’s why we are encouraging all local governments with ports of entry to implement a uniform protocol with the national government para tayo ay makapagbantay ng maigi, ma-prevent ang pagpasok nitong Delta variant sa ating mga community (to allow close monitoring and prevent the Delta variant from entering our community)," she said. — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News