DOH denies presence of Omicron variant cases in Batangas

Department of Health Philippines | INQUIRER.net file photo

LUCENA CITY—The Department of Health (DOH) has refuted reports that COVID-19 patients in Batangas province were carrying the highly-contagious Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1.

“We would like to announce that there is no truth to the reports that say that there are recorded cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.21.1 in the province of Batangas,” the DOH in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) said in a statement on Friday (May 20).

The DOH added: “There remains no case of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.21.1 in the province and the entire Calabarzon region.”

The health agency said the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) has conducted an investigation on the report that started to spread on Facebook, which allows the posting of falsehoods, but found no BA.2.21.1 patient as of Friday.

The supposed BA.2.21.1 infected patient in Batangas was reported on national tabloids and was being spread on social media.

As of Friday, health authorities in Batangas reported that the province still has 22 active COVID-19 cases. The province has recorded 74,145 COVID-19 cases, 71,319 recoveries, and 2,804 deaths since the pandemic erupted in March 2020.

Health officials are urging those who are still unvaccinated to get their shots and those who have completed them to get their booster dose.

At least 40.6 million Filipinos, who are eligible for a booster shot, have yet to get the jab, according to the DOH.

The first booster shot is now available for individuals who have already completed their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines. But only immunocompromised individuals, health care frontline workers and senior citizens are allowed to take their second booster shot as of now.

Earlier this week, the DOH confirmed the local transmission in the country of BA.2.12.1, a more contagious but less deadly version of Omicron, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

TSB