MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has detected 56 new cases of the highly transmissible Omicron subvariants.
In its latest coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) biosurveillance report released on Wednesday, the department noted that 64 samples were sequenced by the Southern Philippines Medical Center and the University of the Philippines - Philippine Genome Center Main and Visayas from Feb. 13 to 17.
Out of the total samples, about 28 or 43.75 percent were classified as BA.2.3.20; 16 or 25 percent as XBB; two or 3.13 percent as BQ.1; two or 3.13 percent as XBC; and eight or 12.50 percent as other Omicron sublineages.
“All the 28 BA.2.3.20 cases were local cases from the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Soccsksargen, and the National Capital Region (NCR),” the DOH said.
“Of the 16 additional XBB cases, one was a Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF) and 15 were local cases from Regions Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and the NCR,” it added.
Meanwhile, the two additional BQ.1 cases were from Western Visayas and the NCR while the two recently detected XBC cases were from the Davao Region.
As of February 9, the World Health Organization has labeled BA.2.75, BQ.1, BF.7, XBB, CH.1.1, XBB.1.5, and XBF as variants of concern-subvariant under monitoring. (PNA)
