Omicron subvariant: 5 detected in Western Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — Five more cases of the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 of COVID have been detected in Western Visayas, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

“Based on the latest genome sequencing, another five cases of BA.2.12.1 were detected in Western Visayas. They are all fully vaccinated,” DOH-Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Director Beverly Ho told a press briefing.

She said three are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) from the United States while two are local cases.

Ho said the five cases have completed their home isolation and are now considered asymptomatic and recovered.

The two local cases have two close contacts while the three ROFs have five close contacts, all of whom have also completed their isolation.

There are now 22 BA.2.12.1 cases sequenced in the country, 18 of them local cases while four are ROFs.

Of the local cases, two are from Metro Manila, 12 from Puerto Princesa and four from Western Visayas.

“The new variants do not lead to critical or severe conditions, especially with our cases being fully vaccinated,” Ho said.

Recovered

The DOH said the lone case of Omicron sublineage BA.4 has also recovered after completing the mandatory quarantine.

The agency said the two close contacts of the patient remain asymptomatic and in isolation.

The 14 foreign tourists and two crewmembers of a yacht who were found infected with COVID in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan have recovered and been discharged after completing their quarantine, Dr. Dean Palanca, city government incident management team head, said yesterday.

Normalyn Dave, city public information officer, said five of the foreigners completed their quarantine on Sunday.

The nine other tourists and the crewmembers of the vesel were discharged from a quarantine facility on Monday.

They all left Puerto Princesa yesterday. – Emmanuel Tupas