DOH detects new cases of Omicron subvariants BA.5, BA.2.12.1

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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has recorded new cases of the COVID-19 Omicron subvariants BA.5 and BA.2.12.1, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

In an online briefing, Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said six new cases of the BA.5 subvariant and 10 new cases of the BA.2.12.1 subvariant were detected.

Vergeire said of the six new BA.5 subvariant cases, two are from Metro Manila, while the rest are from Cagayan Valley, the Western Visayas, and Northern Mindanao, and another one whose address is still being verified.

“Four individuals are fully vaccinated while the vaccination status of the rest is still being verified. Two were mild symptoms while the remaining are still being verified. However, the five individuals are now tagged as recovered, while one is still undergoing home isolation,” Vergeire said in her presentation.

Four of the 10 new BA.2.12.1 subvariant cases are from Metro Manila, two are from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), and one each from the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and the Bicol region. One returning overseas Filipino also tested positive for the BA.2.12.1 subvariant.

“Three individuals are fully vaccinated while the vaccination status of the rest is still being verified. One individual is still active while eight are now tagged as recovered. The remaining case is still being verified,” Vergeire added in her presentation.

In a later Wednesday statement, the DOH said the six new cases of the BA.5 subvariant and 10 new cases of the BA.2.12.1 subvariant was detected through the 46 samples from COVID-19 positive patients sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center conducted on June 11 to 13.

However, most of the samples at 38 or 82.61 percent of the samples were positive for the Omicron variant and its sub-lineages, the DOH also said.

So far, there are 39 cases of BA. 2.12.1 and 11 cases for BA.5, the DOH said.

The DOH earlier said there is already local transmission of the BA.2.12.1. and BA.5 subvariants in the country.

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

Independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research previously said the Omicron subvariants 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 Omicron variant.

/MUF