DOH: No new strain of virus causing COVID-19 in Philippines yet

GMA – Published December 21, 2020 12:43PM

he Department of Health (DOH) has yet to see a new strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the Philippines, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday.

Vergeire was responding to a query on a new strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 and linked to mutations involving spike protein that COVID-19 uses to infect human cells seen in the United Kingdom (UK)—a situation that prompted other European countries to restrictions on travels from the UK.

“According to RITM, wala pa silang nakikitang bagong strain [ng COVID-19 virus] sa ating bansa,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire was referring to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

The Health Department, however, is not letting its guard down.

SOURCE: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/768821/doh-no-new-strain-of-virus-causing-covid-19-in-philippines-yet/story/