DOH: Philippines detects 1,011 more Omicron BA.5 cases

The Philippines detected over 1,000 new cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.5 of the coronavirus in almost all regions, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday.

Of the 1,011 new BA.5 cases, 336 were from Western Visayas, 82 from the National Capital Region (NCR), 79 from Central Luzon, 75 from Calabarzon, 72 from Ilocos Region, 70 from Bicol Region, 67 from Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 48 from Soccsksargen, 44 from Mimaropa, 34 from Northern Mindanao, 27 from Caraga, 26 from Central Visayas, 25 from Cagayan Valley, 17 from Davao Region, five from Zamboanga Peninsula, and one from Eastern Visayas.

Three returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) also tested for the BA.5 sub variant, based on the latest genome sequencing run conducted from August 12 to 15, 2022.

DOH said there are now 5,214 BA.5 cases in the country in total.

Of these cases, DOH said 907 are now tagged as recovered, 53 are still under isolation, while the status of others are still being verified. Two have also died because of BA.5.

Six hundred and ninety of them are also fully vaccinated, 12 are partially vaccinated, three are unvaccinated, while the vaccination status of others are still being determined.

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

Philippine Genome Center (PGC) executive director Dr. Cynthia Saloma earlier said that the increase in COVID-19 cases in the past weeks may be attributed to the Omicron BA.5 subvariant which now comprises about 85% of their sequenced samples.

She added that of the 1,100 to 1,200 samples being sequenced in the country per week, BA.5 was the “most predominant variant” detected as compared to the other Omicron sub-variants like BA.4, BA.2.12.1, and BA.2.3.

BA.5 has been driving an increase in new COVID-19 infections globally and has shown to be particularly good at evading the immune protection afforded either by vaccination or prior infection.

BA.4

Further, DOH also recorded 19 additional cases of the Omicron sub variant BA.4 in the country, bringing its active caseload to 168.

Twelve of which came from Soccsksargen, three each from Bicol Region and Western Visayas, and one from CAR.

Of these BA.4 cases, 15 individuals are now tagged as recovered, three are still under isolation, while one died.

Thirteen of them are also fully vaccinated, one is partially vaccinated, while the vaccination status of the five others are still being identified.

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

DOH earlier said that BA.4’s “faster transmission is likely because of its ability to evade immune protection induced by prior infection and/or vaccination, particularly if this has waned over time.”

The BA.5 and BA.4 are both Omicron subvariants under monitoring by the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO also said that the earliest documented samples of both of these subvariants were in South Africa in January 2022.

They are also “sister lineages” of the BA.1 and BA.2 sub variants, WHO added.

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

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

The Philippines on Monday logged 3,484 fresh COVID-19 cases, bringing the active caseload to 38,982.—AOL, GMA News