The B.1.617 variant of COVID-19 first found in India has reached the Philippines, the Department of Health announced Tuesday. Two travelers tested positive for B.1.617.

The B.1.617 variant, which has been growing more common in India, is now officially a “variant of concern,” the World Health Organization said.

“We are classifying this as a variant of concern at a global level,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, told a briefing. “There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility.”

Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, said studies were under way in India to examine the variant’s transmissibility. ““What we know now is that the vaccines work, the diagnostics work, the same treatments that are used for the regular virus works, so there is really no need to change any of those,” Swaminathan said.

Experts believe a ‘double mutant’ variant called B1617 found in India is driving the surge in infections there. These two mutations affect the virus’ spike protein or the basis of COVID-19 vaccines.