WHO: COVID-19 variant first detected in Philippines to be called ‘theta’

The coronavirus variant first detected in the Philippines, P.3, has been assigned the name “Theta” by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of a bid to avoid stigmatizing countries where new variants were first discovered.

On Monday, the WHO announced that letters of the Greek alphabet would be used in identifying variants of concern (VOC) and variants of interest (VOI).

“These labels do not replace existing scientific names (e.g. those assigned by GISAID, Nextstrain and Pango), which convey important scientific information and will continue to be used in research,” it said in a statement.

“While they have their advantages, these scientific names can be difficult to say and recall, and are prone to misreporting. As a result, people often resort to calling variants by the places where they are detected, which is stigmatizing and discriminatory,” it added.

Variants of interest

The WHO said a VOI is one that has mutations “with established or suspected phenotypic implications,” has been identified as the cause of community transmission or clustering, and has been detected in multiple countries.

The WHO may also classify a variant as one “of interest” upon consultation with the WHO SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution Working Group.

Currently, there are six VOIs, including the one first found in the Philippines:

• Epsilon (B.1.427 or B.1.429 variant first detected in the United States)
• Zeta (P.2 variant first detected in Brazil)
• Eta (B.1.525 variant detected in multiple countries in December
• Theta (P.3 variant first detected in the Philippines)
• Iota (B.1.526 variant first detected in the United States)
• Kappa (B.1.617.1 variant first detected in India)

Variants of concern

Meanwhile, the WHO defines a VOC as one associated with increased transmissibility or “detrimental” change in COVID-19 epidemiology, increased virulence, or decreased effectiveness of health protocols, diagnostics, vaccines, or therapeutics.

Four variants have been classified as one “of concern” by the WHO:

• Alpha (B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom)
• Beta (B.1.351 variant first detected in South Africa)
• Gamma (P.1 variant first detected in Brazil)
• Delta (B.1.617.2 variant first detected in India)

All four VOCs have been detected in the Philippines.

The country has 1,071 Alpha cases, 1,246 Beta cases, 13 Delta cases, and two Gamma cases as of May 26. —NB, GMA News