FILE PHOTO: This undated transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S. NIAID-RML/Handout via REUTERS.
MANILA, Philippines — Health authorities on Monday announced the detection of an additional 1,569 cases of Omicron variant and 16 cases of Delta variant from the whole-genome sequencing conducted on January 30 and February 6.
The Department of Health (DOH) said in an advisory that 744 samples were sequenced on January 30 and that 94.35 percent or 702 were Omicron (B.1.1.529) while 1.21 percent or nine were Delta (B.1.617.2).
On February 6, 936 samples were sequenced and 92.36 percent or 867 of them were Omicron while 0.75 percent or seven were Delta.
Of the combined 1,569 Omicron variant cases, the DOH said 1,458 were local transmission while 76 were detected from Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs). However, sources of the remaining 35 Omicron variant cases are still being verified, the DOH added.
“Based on the case line list, 72 cases are still active, four cases have died, 1,403 cases have been tagged as recovered, while there are 90 cases whose outcomes are still being verified,” it also said.
To date, authorities have detected a total of 2,722 Omnicron variant cases in the country which include 499 fully vaccinated, 11 partially vaccinated, and 15 unvaccinated people. Vaccination status of the remaining Omicron variant cases is still being verified.
A total of nine fatalities have likewise been recorded from among the total Omicron variant cases, the DOH noted.
As for the combined 16 additional Delta variant cases detected in the country, 14 have already been tagged as recovered while two patients remain sick, the health agency also said on Monday.
Currently, confirmed Delta variant cases in the country were at 8,663, including 628 fully vaccinated, 230 partially vaccinated, and 536 unvaccinated people. The DOH is still verifying the vaccination status of the remaining 7,269 Delta variant cases.
The DOH further announced in its advisor that the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center Visayas has recently concluded a successful initial sequencing run of 94 samples from Western Visayas and can now regularly sequence samples.
“This sequencing facility will mainly accommodate samples from the Visayas regions,” it said.
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