The Philippines is closely monitoring the new coronavirus variant that emerged in the United Kingdom (UK) after the United States (US) reported its first case in Colorado, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in the United States (US) regarding the new Covid-19 strain in Colorado. Concerned local officials are now studying this matter,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Tuesday that they discovered their first case of the Covid-19 variant B.1.17, the same strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2 discovered in the UK.

Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte may or may not include the US in the list of countries temporarily banned from entering the Philippines depending on the recommendation of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“As to whether the President may impose restrictions to travelers coming from the United States in light of this new development, the guidance of the Chief Executive is clear: This shall be upon the joint recommendation of the Department of Health, which sits as Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), and the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

In a media forum, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the US may be included in the list of countries where a temporary travel ban is imposed to curb the transmission of the disease.

DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire later clarified that the agency will wait for an advisory from the World Health Organization International Health Regulations (WHO-IHR) before updating its list of countries banned.

“We will wait for the US to officially notify the WHO IHR or official announcement by their government regarding this new strain identified in Colorado before we include it in our official list,” she said.

On Tuesday, Duterte approved the extension of the temporary suspension of flights and the prohibition of entry on all travelers coming from or transiting through the UK until Jan. 15, 2021.

Additional 19 countries were included in the temporary travel ban namely Denmark Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, and Spain.

Passengers who are already in transit and arrive before 12:01 a.m. of Dec. 30, 2020 from the said countries or areas listed will not be prohibited from entering the country.

However, they will be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, despite a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result.

Filipino citizens who are coming from or who have been to the same countries or areas within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines will be allowed to enter the Philippines on the condition that they undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine despite a negative RT-PCR test result.

Currently, there are no reported cases of the new Covid-19 variant in the Philippines. (PNA)