Philippines detects 144 new Omicron subvariant cases

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday announced the detection of 144 additional cases of Omicron subvariants in the country, based on the latest sequencing result released.

Out of the recent 165 samples sequenced by the University of the Philippines - Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) from December 27 to January 2, at least 81 were classified as Omicron BA.2.3.20.

It was followed by XBB with 43 cases, BA.5 with seven cases, and one case each of BA.2.75 and XBC.

The DOH said at least 11 cases of other Omicron subvariants were also detected.

The Health department said all additional BA.2.3.20 cases were local cases coming from Regions 3, 4A, 4B, 6, 8, and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Meanwhile, the recently detected BN.1 case, reported under BA.2.75, was a local case from Region 6, while additional BA.5 cases were from Regions 3, 4B, 6 (including one case of BQ.1), and 12.

The DOH said the XBB cases, on the other hand, were from Regions 3, 4A, 6, and NCR, while the additional XBC case was from Region 6.

The Health department, meanwhile, said no cases of the highly contagious Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 have been detected in the country.

The DOH reiterated that COVID-19 variants will "continue to emerge and re-emerge.”

"What's important is we continue to employ our layers of protection, such as sanitation, masking, distancing, vaccination, and boosters, as well as good ventilation, to keep cases manageable and prevent virus transmission," it said. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA Integrated News