Thread by @cnnphilippines

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• DOH eyes 'fast containment' of South African variant
• Malacañang: Coronavac rollout successful
• OCTA: PH could reach 665,000 cases by end of March

Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire on the South African COVID-19 variant: We did Pasay specimen collection to see if other cities have this variant

RELATED: The more transmissible COVID-19 variant first discovered in South Africa — which appeared to make some vaccines less effective — has reached the Philippines.

The three local cases were reported as residents of Pasay City bit.ly/3039xfc

DOH says one out of the six infected with the South African COVID-19 variant works in a laboratory

DOH: We are looking at all possible sources, interactions from this individual. This happened around 3-4 weeks ago, we're all back-tracing

DOH: We're looking at a possible local transmission

DOH: We are monitoring the whole of the city of Pasay because we detected (the South African COVID-19 variant) there

DOH adds they are also monitoring other regions

DOH: We have not classified a PH COVID-19 variant yet

DOH on reopening of cinemas, other establishments: As long as these establishments meet health standards, they can open... There are still other standards to be followed, not just ventilation. Number of people should be limited

DOH says they do not recommend eating or drinking inside the cinema bit.ly/3uKoUHy

Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto Rubiano: Based on the recommendation of the DOH, we need to monitor the three cases detected in the city

Pasay mayor says they retested the three individuals found with the South African COVID-19 variant: Yung isa, safe na. Yung dalawa, hinihintay pa ang results

She adds: Itong tatlo, they came from different barangay

Pasay mayor says they will continue to monitor the patients: Okay naman po sila. Noong una, ang nahawa ay asawa. Doon sa isang case, ang nahawa ay asawa at isang anak