THE Lambda, a Covid-19 variant that medical experts abroad said may be able to evade vaccine antibodies and is likely more infectious, has been detected in the country in the latest sequencing run by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), health officials reported last Sunday.
There were also additional 182 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant cases, 41 Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant cases, 66 Beta (B.1.351) variant cases, and 40 of the P.3 variant cases detected.
The latest sequencing run also included repeat samples that were sequenced last July 28, 2021 and were initially determined to have no lineage, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Lambda variant case
THE DOH is now validating whether the 35-year-old female who turned positive for Lambda variant is a local case or a returning overseas Filipino worker (ROF).
The case was asymptomatic and tagged as recovered after undergoing the 10-day isolation period.
The DOH said it is currently conducting back-tracing and case investigation.
The Lambda variant, first identified in Peru in August 2020, was classified last June 14 as a Variant of Interest (VOI) by the World Health Organization.
This VOI has the potential to affect the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 and is currently being monitored for its possible clinical significance.
Delta variant
OF the additional 182 Delta variant cases, 112 are local cases, 36 are ROFs and 34 cases are currently being verified as to their origins—whether local or ROF cases.
Of the 112 local cases, 42 cases had indicated addresses in the National Capital Region (NCR), while 36 cases had indicated addresses in Central Luzon, eight cases in Calabarzon, six cases in Mimaropa, six cases in Northern Mindanao, four cases in Central Visayas, three cases in Davao Region, three cases in Caraga, two cases in Western Visayas, and one case each in the Cordillera Administrative Region and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Based on the case line list, one is still active, 176 cases have been tagged as recovered, four cases have died, and one case has an outcome that is being verified. All other details are being validated by the regional and local health offices.
Upon verification, it was determined that two cases initially tagged as Delta cases from NCR last August 4 are Beta variant cases. This update brings the total Delta variant cases to 807.
Alpha variant cases
OF the additional 41 Alpha variant cases detected, 38 were local cases, one is an ROF case and two are currently being verified if this is a local or ROF case.
Based on the case line list, two cases have died, 36 cases have been tagged as recovered, and three cases have outcomes that are being verified.
Upon verification, two Alpha variant cases initially tagged in NCR last August 4 were verified to be Beta variant cases.
Additionally, one Alpha variant case tested by one Covid-19 laboratory had two samples that were both sequenced. Lastly, a sample of another Alpha variant case was sequenced twice and yielded the same result.
Correcting for all these resulted in a reduction of four cases from the total case counts for the Alpha variant. With these, the total Alpha variant cases is now 2,232.
Beta variant cases
OF the additional 66 Beta variant cases, 56 were local cases and 10 cases are currently being verified as to origin. Based on the case line list, two cases have died, 63 cases have been tagged as recovered, and one case with outcome being verified.
Among the 127 total Beta variant cases reported last July 29, the DOH verified two cases initially tagged in NCR that were reported as duplicates. It was also verified that two Beta variant cases tested from a single laboratory each had two samples that were both sequenced. This results in four cases deducted from the total Beta variant case counts.
After verification, the total Beta variant cases are now at 2,483.
P.3 variant cases
OF the 40 additional P.3 variant cases, 37 were local cases and three cases are currently being verified as to origin. All cases have been tagged as recovered.
The UP-PGC also reclassified six cases previously detected to have non-VOC lineages as “P.3.”
The DOH reminded the public that regardless of the presence of any variant of concern, the strict adherence to minimum public health standards, strengthened “Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat, Reintegrate” and vaccination strategies remain effective.
“Active case finding, aggressive contact tracing, and immediate isolation/quarantine can also lower the transmission of the Covid-19 and its variants,” the DOH assured.