DOH identifies 22 close contacts of country’s 4th Omicron COVID-19 case

FILE PHOTO: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said that it has identified 22 close contacts of the 4th person to test positive for the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern.

The DOH said the identified close contacts were aboard Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR 127 with the woman who tested positive for the said variant.

“The DOH is currently verifying the test results of all close contacts and have coordinated with the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Units to verify the health status of these cases,” the DOH said.

The close contacts also include the patient’s husband, who also tested positive for the COVID-19, and whose sample is set for genome sequencing to determine if he also has the Omicron variant.

The fourth case of the Omicron variant is a 38-year-old female traveler from the United States who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on December 10 via PAL flight PR 127.

The woman was then quarantined upon arrival in the country, but on December 13, the patient experienced throat itchiness and colds.

Her specimen was then collected on December 14 and her positive COVID-19 test result was released on December 15.

The woman was discharged asymptomatic from an isolation facility after a 10-day quarantine on December 24 and underwent home isolation.

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