Philippine has yet to make a decision whether it will impose a ban on flights from India following the newly-discovered COVID-19 variant in the latter.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday reported that DOH had a discussion with the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding the issue, but the final decision has not been reached yet as of writing.
Moreover, the task force focused on COVID-19 variants is looking into the B.1.617 coronavirus variant, which has a number of mutations that could increase transmissibility and help escape immune response.
The health official assured the Philippines has not yet recorded a case of the India variant based on the genomic sequencing of over 5,000 samples.
India reported nearly 350,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the fourth day in a row the country has set a world record for daily infections during the coronavirus pandemic.
