PH reports 3 additional cases of BA.5 COVID-19 subvariant

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire talks with reporters via Zoom meeting in this file photo taken on April 23, 2020. INQUIRER.net file photo / Daphne Galvez

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday reported three additional cases of the BA.5 subvariant, its spokesperson Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

This brings the total number of the BA.5 subvariant to five, the health official said.

Last week, Vergeire announced that the BA.5 subvariant was first detected in the country from two individuals from Central Luzon.

The three new cases of the subvariant were detected after the Philippine Genome Center sequenced 190 samples of COVID-19 positive patients on June 6.

Of the 190, there are 60 percent or 114 were found to be Omicron, making it the most common lineage among the sequenced samples.

Seven samples were found to be the BA.2.12.1 subvariant.

The DOH has said that there is now a local transmission of BA.2.12.1. and the BA.5.

These Omicron subvariants are considered to be highly transmissible and can also evade vaccine protection, according to health experts.

Independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research previously said the new sub variants may cause another surge in COVID-19 cases once present in the country, but would not be as high as the cases recorded in January that were linked to the Delta variant.

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