The lambda variant (PHOTO)

The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday confirmed the Philippines’ first case of  COVID-19 Lambda variant from a 35 year-old female recovered patient.

The health department considered Lambda, a “variant of interest” (VOI), which studies reportedly shown to be more transmissible and vaccine-resistant than the other virus strains.

The DOH, however, has yet to determine “whether the female patient is a local or returning overseas Filipino.” She was asymptomatic and has recovered after undergoing the 10-day isolation period.

The DOH assured the public that contact tracing is underway.

“This variant of interest has the potential to affect the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 and is currently being monitored for its possible clinical significance,” DOH said.

The Lambda variant, first detected in Peru last year, is more infectious than the original strain emerging from Wuhan, China in late 2019. Studies have shown that it is more resistant to COVID-19 vaccines.

It was classified as a VOI by the World Health Organization last June 14.

Philippine Genome Center Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Saloma in early July said the variant is an “emerging global public health risk” because it was first detected in Peru, which so far has the highest COVID-19 death rate.