Tag: variant

Brazil reports 3,650 dead from Covid in one day

  BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil set a new daily Covid-19 death toll record of 3,650 on Friday, the health ministry said, as the pandemic spins out of control in Latin America’s largest economy. Since February, Brazil has seen record after record in fatalities and new cases of infection as the country second hardest hit anywhere in the world, after the United States, with more than 307,000 dead from the pandemic. It broke through the […]

98 cases of new P.3 variant detected in PHL, mostly found in Central Visayas – PGC

PHL Genome Center stresses need to prevent spread of P.3 variant to other regions, other countries    (Eagle News) – The coronavirus variant P.3, which was first detected in the Philippines was the SARS-CoV2 mutation that was first observed in the Central Visayas region where there had been an observed spike in cases since January this year, according to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC). The PGC said that most of the nearly 100 samples where […]

DOH detects new COVID-19 variant P.3 in PHL, also finds Brazilian variant P.1

More COVID-19 cases with UK and South African variants also detected   (Eagle News) — The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed Saturday, March 13, a new variant of the coronavirus called P.3 which was first found in the Philippines, as it also detected the first case of the Brazilian variant in the country. Because of this, all three highly infectious variants – the UK variant (B.1.1.7), the South African variant (B.1.351 variant) and the Brazilian […]

In Pasay City where South African variant has been detected, health workers find hope in vaccines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zxKJGBSpkw&feature=youtu.be   (Eagle News) — The vaccination against COVID-19 started in Pasay City on Tuesday, March 2, the same day that the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the presence of the highly infectious South African variant in the country, including three cases in Pasay City. Many health care workers received the Sinovac vaccines, and expressed hope that they can now have some protection against a deadly disease that had so far claimed more than 200 […]

PGC: Those with virus mutations in C. Visayas already “cleared,” only had mild symptoms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBirIpxUUOg&feature=youtu.be   (Eagle News) — All those who had been infected with the mutated form of the COVID-19 virus in Central Visayas have all recovered after exhibiting mild symptoms, according to the head of the Philippine Genome Center. “All the cases in Central Visayas with the two mutations of concern exhibited only mild symptons and have been cleared,” said Dr, Cynthia Saloma, executive director of Philippine Genome Center, in a presser of the Department of […]

Spain detects first case of Brazil coronavirus variant

  MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Madrid authorities on Friday confirmed the first case in the region of the Brazilian variant of coronavirus, which is feared to be particularly infectious, in the region. A 44-year-old man who arrived at Madrid’s airport on January 29 tested positive for the coronavirus and subsequent lab tests confirmed he had caught the new strain, the regional government of Madrid said in a statement. The case is the first report in […]

PHL now has 25 UK variant cases as DOH detects 8 new cases including 1 from Cebu

One new case from Benguet is 84-year old man who died on Jan. 24 (Eagle News) – The Philippines now has a total of 25 detected UK variant cases, following the detection of eight additional cases, the Department of Health said Friday night, Feb . 5. One of the confirmed cases had died. This was an 84-year old man from Benguet who had no travel history nor any known contact with any UK variant case. […]

Virus still ‘far from under control’ in Germany due to variants

  by Deborah COLE Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — The pandemic in Germany is still out of control, the head of its disease control institute said Friday, dampening hopes of a quick easing of its partial lockdown despite declining infection numbers. Robert Koch Institute (RKI) chief Lothar Wieler told reporters that the emergence of new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus posed a real danger to tentatively successful German efforts to curb its […]

Saudi bars entry from 20 countries as Covid-19 surges

  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia on Tuesday suspended entry from 20 countries, ranging from some neighbouring states to the United States, in a bid to curb a jump in coronavirus infections. The interior ministry announced the “temporary suspension” would be effective from 9.00 pm (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The ban applies to neighbouring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and in the wider region, to […]

England to step up testing after detecting 11 S.African variant cases

  by Joe JACKSON Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Health officials said Monday they will urgently increase testing in eight areas across England where nearly a dozen South African Covid-19 variant cases have been identified in the last week. The 11 cases, detected in genomic sequencing carried out on random samples of positive coronavirus results, cannot be traced back to international travel, prompting concerns of localised transmission. The move in the areas […]

J&J single-dose Covid vaccine has 66% overall efficacy, but less against S. Africa variant

Vaccine also prevented 85 percent of severe Covid-19 cases across all regions by Issam AHMED Agence France Presse Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine has an overall efficacy of 66 percent, the company said Friday after a huge multi-continent trial, but the shot does not protect as well against a variant first detected in South Africa. Encouragingly, the vaccine was able to prevent 85 percent of severe Covid-19 cases across all geographical regions however — […]

First cases of S. Africa coronavirus variant detected in US

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A more transmissible variant of the coronavirus that was identified in South Africa has been detected for the first time on US soil, officials said Thursday. The cases were found in the state of South Carolina in two adults with no travel history and no connection to each other, according to a statement. “The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is an important reminder to all South Carolinians […]