Expert calls for samples from returning Pinoys for Omicron biosurveillance

Philippine Genome Center executive director Cynthia Saloma on Monday said they need to examine more samples, especially from returning Filipinos, amid the threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte, Saloma said they have yet to detect the Omicron variant in the country.

"So far we have done about 18,000 whole genome sequences and binalikan po natin 'yong ating database and wala pa po tayong nakitang ni isang Omicron [we went back in our database and have not found a single Omicron case], so going forward, I think we need to backtrack samples from early November," Saloma said.

"Going forward, other samples coming in the Philippines, 'yong mga positives nating mga samples sa airports at sa ibang parts of the Philippines, kung maipadala sa amin [if they can send us the positive samples from airports and other parts of the Philippines] and we can do more intense sequencing," she added.

Saloma also said they will start sequencing in Visayas and Mindanao next month.

Malacañang earlier said it is closely monitoring developments on the Omicron variant that is believed to be more transmissible.

The World Health Organization has classified Omicron as a variant of concern.

The origin of the variant is currently unclear but South African scientists were the first to announce the discovery on November 25.

The Philippines has placed several countries on the red list until December 15 in efforts to prevent the spread of the variant. — BM, GMA News