DOH: Uptick in COVID-19 infections not related to entry of new subvariant cases in PH

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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said presence of new coronavirus subvariant cases in the country has not yet translated to “sustained, large case increases or (hospital) admissions” due to COVID-19.

“Iyong mga nakikita natin na pagtaas ng kaso ay hindi lamang nitong Mayo. Mula naman tayo ay nagsimulang magbukas ng ating borders, nakakakita tayo ng paunti-unting pagtaas ng kaso so itong pinaka recent na nakita natin, mahirap din naman nating sabihin na dahil lamang ito sa pagpasok ng BA.4 or ‘di kaya, nitong mga emerging variants natin,” Dr. Alethea De Guzman, officer-in-charge of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, said in a media forum.

(The increase in COVID-19 cases was not just in May. Since we started reopening our borders, we’ve monitored a gradual increase in cases. It’s hard to say that this recent uptick in cases is caused by the entry of BA.4 or other emerging COVID-19 variants in the country.)

While no observed impact in the rising COVID-19 cases was attributed to the new coronavirus subvariants, de Guzman still emphasized the need to prepare and safeguard the public from possible impacts in the near future.

“Kahit hindi tayo nakakakita ng significant na negative impact nitong mga variant na ito sa ngayon, kailangan ngayon pa lang, tayo ay naghahanda at tinataasan na ang ating proteksyon,” the health expert said. “That’s through our minimum public health standards and second, it’s availing of our primary and booster doses. These two measures will be effective in ensuring that even if there will be a new variant of concern that will enter, meron tayong sapat na proteksyon para hindi na naman ma-overwhelm ang ating mga health systems.”

(Even if we have not seen a significant, negative impact from these variants as of now, we need to prepare and increase our protection already. That’s through our minimum public health standards and second, it’s availing of our primary and booster doses. These two measures will be effective in ensuring that even if there will be a new variant of concern that will enter, we’ll have enough protection to prevent overwhelming our health systems again.)

As of this writing, the latest Omicron subvariants detected in the country are BA.4 and BA.2.12.1.

DOH recorded a total of 17 Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 cases last week, while the first case of the Omicron subvariant BA.4, tagged as a “variant of concern,” was confirmed on Saturday, May 21.

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