DOH: 40 of 44 UK variant cases have recovered from COVID-19

Forty of the 44 cases of the UK coronavirus variant have recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Alethea De Guzman said three cases are still active while the death toll remained at one as of February 14.

The three active cases were identified as a returning overseas Filipino from the United Arab Emirates, a 20-year-old female from Sabangan, Mountain Province, and a 37-year-old male from Impasug-ong, Bukidnon.

They are all in isolation.

Of the 44 cases, 28 are locals while 15 are returning overseas Filipinos. The address of one case is still being verified by the DOH.

Among the 28 local cases, 14 are linked to the Bontoc, Mountain Province cluster and two are connected to the La Trinidad cluster.

De Guzman said there was “minimal transmission” of the variant since only three additional cases were found to be linked to the previously reported UK variant infections.

“Nakikita natin na minimal na ‘yung transmission sa ibang individual basta na-detect natin siya at basta nagawa natin kaagad ‘yung response natin,” she said in a virtual briefing.

“Ibig sabihin our strategy works… We cut the chain of transmission. Hindi na siya dapat magkakaroon pa ng additional ng UK variant cases. Gano’n kahalaga ‘yung sinasabi natin na swift and enhanced response,” she added.

De Guzman also said 1,945 samples have undergone genome sequencing as of February 12, 30% or 582 of which had the B.1.1.63 lineage or the Hong Kong variant.

Philippine Genome Center Executive Director Cynthia Saloma said mutations are normal, adding that the coronavirus mutates slower compared to other viruses.

“Part of the natural evolution of viruses is to mutate every time they copy and multiply within the host,” she said.

The Philippines has tallied 550,860 infections with 511,755 recoveries and 11,517 deaths as of Monday afternoon.  — RSJ, GMA News