DOH confirms more cases of Omicron BA.5, BA.2.12.1

Metro Manila, June 8 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) announced additional cases of Omicron subvariants in the country.

Citing the results of the latest genome sequencing run released on June 6, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said BA.5 was detected in three more persons while BA.2.12.1 was found in another seven. Of the three additional BA.5 cases, Vergeire said two are from Calabarzon, with the address of the third, found fully vaccinated, still being verified. One of the cases from Calabarzon has not received a COVID-19 vaccine; the other's immunization status has yet to be validated. Their exposure and travel histories, as well as manifested symptoms, are also being confirmed. "Yung dalawa dito, nakolekta 'yung kanilang samples nung May 23, tapos 'yung isa nakolekta nung May 12. So 'yung ibang detalye, we are still verifying kasi kakabigay palang sa amin ng Philippine Genome Center itong mga resulta na 'to," Vergeire explained in a media briefing. She added that the three latest cases have already been tagged as recovered.

Meanwhile, of the seven new BA.2.12.1 cases, the DOH said three are from Metro Manila; and then one each from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Bicol Region. Three are fully vaccinated, same number as those who haven't gotten a vaccine shot. The status of the seventh case is being looked into. The Omicron variant, as per DOH, is still the most common lineage detected in the country. Of the 190 samples sequenced in the latest run, 114 are Omicron cases, 14 are Delta, 61 have no assigned lineage, and one is classified under "other lineages." The country now has a total of five BA.5 cases. The first two, a couple from Marilao, Bulacan, were confirmed on June 3. The first cases of BA.2.12.1 in the Philippines, on the other hand, were reported on May 13 in Metro Manila and Puerto Princesa, Palawan. As of May 31, the DOH said that cases of this subvariant have reached over 20.

Source: cnnphilippines.com