Philippines detects 81 COVID-19 cases of new XBB Omicron subvariant – DOH

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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has recorded 81 coronavirus cases characterized by the “highly immune-evasive” XBB Omicron subvariant, the Department of Health (DOH) announced Tuesday.

“Batay sa latest sequencing run, nakapagtala na po tayo ng 81 XBB cases mula sa dalawang rehiyon sa bansa,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said  in a press briefing.

(Based on the latest sequencing run, we already logged 81 XBB cases in two regions of the country.)

“70 were tagged as recovered already, eight are still ongoing isolation, habang inaalam pa ang outcome ng natitirang tatlong kaso,” she also explained.

(70 were tagged as recovered already, eight are still under isolation, while the outcome of the three remaining cases are still being verified.)

READ: What is the COVID-19 XBB strain and how will it affect me?

The new XBB coronavirus subvariant is believed to be highly immune-evasive as people with antibodies against COVID-19 could still acquire it.

It is also said that XBB, a recombinant of BJ.1 (BA.2.10.1 sublineage) and BM.1.1.1 (BA.2.75 sublineage), is causing the case surge in Singapore.

The symptoms of XBB subvariant are also similar to that of other Omicron subvariants, Vergeire said.

Citing the Singapore Ministry of Health, she also said there is no evidence that the XBB subvariant causes a more severe infection.

XBC subvariant

Additionally, Vergeire said the country likewise detected 193 coronavirus cases of XBC Omicron subvariant in 11 regions.

Of the 193 cases, the DOH official said 176 were tagged as recovered, three remains on isolation, five were reported to have died, while the status of the remaining cases are yet to be determined.

Vergeire said the United Kingdom Health Security Agency is classifying XBC as a variant under monitoring  and investigation.

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