MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has detected 1,382 new cases of the highly transmissible Omicron subvariants.
In its latest coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) biosurveillance report released Friday, the department noted that 1,468 samples were sequenced by the Baguio General Hospital Medical Center and the University of the Philippines - Philippine Genome Center Main, Visayas, and Mindanao from June 26 to 29.
Out of the total samples sequenced, about 1,251 or 85.22 percent were classified as XBB (including 139 XBB.1.5 cases, 217 XBB.1.16 cases, 366 XBB.1.9.1 cases, 60 XBB.1.9.2 cases, 326 XBB.2.3 cases); 46 or 3.13 percent as BA.2.3.20; 35 or 2.38 percent as BA.5; six or 0.41 percent as XBC; three or 0.20 percent as BA.2.75 (including one CH.1.1 case); one case or 0.07 percent as BA.4; and 40 or 2.72 percent as other Omicron sublineages.
“All detected XBB subvariants were local cases from all regions except Western Visayas, while BA.2.3.20 cases were from the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Caraga, and the National Capital Region (NCR),” the DOH said.
“Meanwhile, detected BA.5 cases were from the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, CAR, and NCR, while XBC cases were from the Ilocos Region, Soccsksargen, and the NCR.”
Among recently detected XBB cases, one was from a returning overseas Filipino while the rest were local cases from Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, CAR, and NCR.
The three BA.2.75 cases were from Mimaropa, CAR, and NCR, and the lone BA.4 case was detected also in Mimaropa.
As of May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled BA.2.75, BQ.1, XBB, CH.1.1, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2 and XBB.2.3 as variants under monitoring.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has labeled XBB.1.16, CH.1.1, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2 and FE.1 as variants under monitoring.
“The WHO has removed BQ.1 (a sublineage of BA.5) from the list of variants under monitoring being tracked,” the DOH said.
“While the WHO has not issued a statement on the delisting of the BQ.1 variant as a variant under monitoring, a possible reason for this could be a decrease in global prevalence of the said variant.”
It added that it will continue to monitor de-escalated variants BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.3.20; and XBC locally for tracking purposes. (PNA)
