SunStar
File March 05, 2021 HEALTH authorities have detected additional cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) with the B.1.351 variant (South Africa), B.1.1.7 variant (UK) and “mutations of potential clinical significance.”
In a statement on Friday, March 5, 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) said there were 52 more B.1.351 cases, additional 31 B.1.1.7 cases and 42 more cases with mutations.
These increased the number of variant cases to 58 for the B.1.351 variant and 118 for the B.1.1.7 variant. There are now 76 cases with mutations.
The new cases were found among 350 samples that composed the ninth batch of coronavirus-positive specimens sequenced by the University of the Philippines Philippine Genome Center (PGC).
BusinessWorld
March 5, 2021 | 6:53 pm
The March 5 tally was the highest since the 3,139 reported in October 16, 2020.
This brings the country’s total coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases to 587,704, including 40,074 active cases.
Over 89% of the active cases are mild while 5.6% are asymptomatic. For critical, severe, and moderate cases, the Department of Health (DoH) said they are at 2.0%, 1.9%, and 0.77%, respectively.
Additional recoveries were at 178, putting the total at 535,207. Total deaths were at 12,423, including the additional 19 deaths on Friday.
The DoH also reported on Friday that its targeted sequencing detected 52 additional cases positive for the South Africa Variant; 31 new cases for the UK Variant; and 42 new cases with mutations of potential clinical significance.
Oman
Roque also said the IATF directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to strictly implement issuances against airlines that allow the boarding of passengers who are prohibited from entering the Philippines, pursuant to the travel restrictions imposed by the Office of the President and the IATF. The IATF, in coordination with other agencies, may issue implementing guidelines on the exemptions to these entry restrictions.
He said contact tracing protocols, on the other hand, shall be strengthened by expanding to third-generation contacts for known new variant cases. All identified close contacts are required to undergo a strict facility-based 14-day quarantine while remaining contacts from the flight manifest shall be advised of the appropriate quarantine protocols. In this connection, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is directed to issue advisories to local government units (LGUs) to prepare and strengthen the maintenance of their quarantine
The Philippines has extended its travel ban on 32 countries until January 31, 2021, due to the new COVID-19 variants, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced on Friday.
IATF wants intensified contact tracing efforts | Philippine Canadian Inquirer canadianinquirer.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from canadianinquirer.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.