DOH: 816 more Omicron BA.5 cases detected in the Philippines

The Philippines has detected over 800 additional cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.5 of the coronavirus in almost all regions, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

At the DOH briefing, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire reported that all regions except the Bangsamoro region detected the 816 BA.5 cases.

Twelve returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) were also found carrying the said subvariant.

Vergeire said that 686 of these individuals are now tagged as recovered, 78 are still undergoing isolation, while the status of the 52 others are still being verified.

A total of 560 of these fresh cases are fully vaccinated, while the vaccination status of the remaining 256 are still being identified.

Their exposure to the virus and travel histories are also being verified by authorities.

Three of them also presented moderate symptoms, while the disease severity of others are still being identified.

“What we know so far is mas transmissible siya sa original Omicron at ito ay nakakaapekto ng ating immunity na dulot ng ating bakuna (it is more transmissible than the original Omicron and it can affect our immunity brought by the vaccines),” Vergeire said.

BA.4

Meanwhile, a total of 42 more Omicron BA.4 subvariant cases were recorded in the country, Vergeire said.

Of these cases, 10 individuals came from Region 12, nine were from Region 11, seven from Region 6, four each from the National Capital Region (NCR) and Region 5, three from Region 4-A, and one each from CAR and BARMM.

Three ROFs also tested positive for the said subvariant.

Vergeire said that of these cases, 36 individuals are now tagged as recovered, five are still under isolation, while the outcome of the remaining one is still being verified.

She also added that 31 of these individuals are fully vaccinated, while the vaccination status of the 11 others are still being identified.

All of their dates of exposure to the virus, travel histories, and health status are also still unknown.

Both the BA.4 and BA.5, sister variants of the original BA.1 Omicron variant, were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and designated as variants of concern by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

Vergeire earlier said that the BA.5 and the BA.4 subvariants do not cause critical or severe infection and they almost share the same characteristics.

The DOH also then said that these subvariants should “not be any cause of concern.”

BA.2.12.1

Vergeire also said that 52 new BA.2.12.1 cases were detected in Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 4A, CAR, CARAGA, and NCR.

Forty-nine of them are now tagged as recovered while the outcomes of the remaining three are still being identified, she said.

Of these cases, 26 individuals are fully vaccinated, five are partially vaccinated, while the vaccination status of the 21 others are still being verified.

Their exposure, travel histories, and health status are also unknown.

The BA.2.12.1 was also flagged by the United States Centers for Disease Control due to the observed increasing cases in the US.

Vergeire previously said that the BA.2.12.1 and the BA.2.12 may be “more transmissible than the original Omicron variant” and may possibly have an immune escape based on studies.

The Philippines on Tuesday logged 1,841 new COVID-19 cases which brought the active caseload to 20,511. —KG, GMA News