The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Tuesday, May 27, that the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) issued Bureau Memorandum No. 2024-48. This directive mandates comprehensive screening at Points of Entry for travelers coming from regions where COVID-19 Flirt variants have been identified.
Global Spread of Flirt Variants
The Flirt variants have been detected in several countries, including Singapore, Thailand, India, China, Hong Kong, Nepal, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and numerous European countries, including the United Kingdom.
The term Flirt (or FLiRT) refers to a set of mutations in this new family of COVID-19 variants, typically with lineage names beginning with KP or JN. Four variants are currently under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) monitoring: JN.1.7, JN.1.18, KP.2, and KP.3. These variants descend from JN.1, which is an offshoot of the Omicron variant. The WHO's monitoring emphasizes the need for increased vigilance by public health authorities.
Ongoing Surveillance
The DOH is awaiting a biosurveillance report from the Philippine Genome Center, which performs whole-genome sequencing of COVID-19 swab samples, to verify the presence of Flirt variants in the Philippines. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa noted the possibility of local spread of these variants, contributing to an increase in cases, but assured that the situation is currently "not serious."
From May 7 to May 13, the DOH recorded 877 new COVID-19 cases, averaging 125 cases daily. Seven of these were severe or critical, and there were five reported deaths during this period.
Advisory for Travelers
The BOQ advises all travelers to complete the health questionnaire on their e-travel application and recommends self-isolation for those exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
In addition, despite the rising global concerns, Herbosa has stated he will not advocate for border controls or travel restrictions, even with the spike in cases due to Flirt variants. The DOH has recently relaxed quarantine and isolation protocols after President Marcos lifted the public health emergency on July 21, 2023.
