DOH, DFA discussing possible travel ban over new coronavirus variant from India

The Philippines' health and foreign affairs agencies are discussing the possibility of imposing a temporary ban on travelers from India over a new coronavirus variant detected there, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday.

“Pinag-uusapan na po namin ngayon with DFA so that we can recommend to IATF if ever we will find that cause para po talagang i-ban muna temporarily just for us to prevent further spread of [the] disease here in the country,” Vergeire  said in an interview on ANC.

(We are discussing this now with DFA so that we can recommend to IATF if ever we will find that cause to impose a temporary ban just for us to prevent further spread of disease here in the country.)

Vergeire said the variant from India was first detected in October last year.

“Up until now we can say that we still have not detected [it here] although we are still looking at our records, baka meron tayong nakita before (maybe we have detected it before),” she said.

The variant has been described as a “double mutant” that experts have blamed for a spike in COVID-19 cases in India. 

Citing the definitions set by the World Health Organization, the Department of Health in a separate statement said the variant was classified as a variant under investigation and not a variant of concern.

“Despite this, the DOH continues to monitor the variant, along with all other variants, to ensure immediate and appropriate response,” it said.

In the Philippines, 659 B.1.1.7 (United Kingdom) variant cases, 695 B.1.351 (South Africa) variant cases, 2 P.1 (Brazil) variant cases, and 148 cases of the P.3 variant first detected in Central Visayas have been recorded so far.  — Julia Mari Ornedo/RSJ, GMA News