Philippines detects first case of Brazil coronavirus variant - GulfToday

Philippines detects first case of Brazil coronavirus variant

  • 13 Mar 2021
Philippines-COVID-19-Variant

A police officer mans a checkpoint at a village under lockdown amid rising coronavirus infections, in Manila, Philippines. Reuters

The Philippines has detected its first case of the highly contagious coronavirus variant first identified in Brazil, the health ministry said on Saturday.

A Filipino returning from Brazil tested positive for the P.1 variant after 752 samples were sequenced at the genome centre, the ministry said in a statement.

READ MORE

UAE announces 2,250 new COVID-19 cases

No reason to stop using AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, says UN health agency

It reported 59 new infections of the B.1.1.7 variant first detected in Britain, and 32 cases of the B.1.351 variant discovered in South Africa. This brings cases for those variants to 177 and 90, respectively.

“Correct and consistent adherence to the minimum public health standards will prevent the transmission of these variants,” the ministry said.

The Philippines, which has the second-highest COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia, is battling a renewed surge as it ramps up a vaccination drive that started on March 1.

Reuters

Related articles

World races to contain new coronavirus variant threat

The United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman became the latest countries on Friday to restrict travel from southern Africa, where a new Covid strain labelled a "variant of concern" has been discovered.

27 Nov 2021

Global coronavirus cases cross 43 million

With 225,313 deaths and around 8.7 million confirmed cases, the United States tops the list of twenty countries with the highest recorded infections and deaths in the world, followed by India, Brazil and Russia.

27 Oct 2020

University devises new test to detect virus in 5 minutes

A new test, considered a breakthrough, which determines whether one is infected with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in five minutes from the normal 30 minutes, has been invented.

23 Jan 2021

Philippines extends partial coronavirus curbs in Manila

The Manila region, which accounts for 40% of the country’s economic output and is home to at least 12 million people, remains the epicentre for the outbreak in the Philippines, which has the second-highest case load in Southeast Asia.

29 Jan 2021

Most Popular Stories

Other Articles

Sharjah to resume in-person education across all institutions starting April 29

This announcement reflects the collective efforts of educational institutions and government bodies in swiftly addressing the aftermath of the recent adverse weather conditions experienced in the country.

30 minutes ago

Sharjah will not issue parking violation fines in flood-hit areas until normalcy returns

Obaid Saeed Al Tunaiji, Director General of the Sharjah City Municipality and Chairman of the Supreme Emergency Committee, confirmed that the municipality made great efforts to deal with the repercussions of the air depression and mobilized its cadres and mechanisms to enhance the flow of traffic and preserve lives and property. It also played a humanitarian and societal role by providing many services to those affected, whether in their homes or those affected.

an hour ago

Global Village extends season 28 by another week

Guests are invited to dive into a more wonderful world that is Global Village. Whether you’re going to miss the 250 dining options, unique shopping bargains from 27 pavilions, the 90 cultures offered from across the world, or the 200+ rides, games, and attractions at Carnaval™, guests are invited to seize this opportunity and make this time count.

5 hours ago

Dubai Health Authority sets up Disaster and Crisis Management Office

It will enhance the skills and experiences of 10,000 government and private hospital leaders, medical, technical support, and nursing staff in Dubai.

6 hours ago