What is so alarming with Indian COVID variant being detected in the Philippines?

Manila, Philippines – Covid-19 virus has undergone various mutation since its discovery in China in late 2019, with mutations characterized in different strengths and rate or speed of transmissibility.

One of these dreaded variants is the B.1.617 variant of COVID-19 which was first found in India. This variant has been detected from two travelers in the Philippines, the Department of Health announced today, May 11.

In a press release, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that both cases infected with the Indian variant are male ROFs (returning overseas Filipinos).

One patient is a 37-year-old male who came from Oman, while the other is a 38-year-old male who arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The two positive samples, DOH said, were among the 46 specimens that went through the latest run of genome sequencing.

Meanwhile, Epidemiology Bureau Director Althea de Guzman said there were no close contacts listed as the individuals were immediately placed on quarantine.

About the Indian Variant

World Health Organization categorized the B.1.617 variant as a "variant of concern” which has been considered responsible for India's COVID-19 surge, stretching the country's healthcare system to the breaking point.

Earlier reports said that the India variant was cited as “double mutant” because of the presence of two notable mutations in the spike protein of the virus and said to allow the virus to easily gain entry into the human body and multiply faster.

A recent report, however, reclassified the highly contagious Covid variant saying it is a triple-mutant Covid variant, indicating that it's become a global health threat.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead for Covid-19, said that the variant, known as B.1.617 spreads more easily than the original virus according to preliminary studies. It was also said that there is some evidence it may able to evade some of the protections provided by vaccines.

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