The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Wednesday (Dec.15) that the country detected its first two confirmed cases of the Omicron variant from travelers who recently arrived from Japan and Nigeria. Both are now in isolation facilities managed by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).
In a joint statement with the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), the DOH reported that two imported cases of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern were detected from the 48 samples sequenced on Tuesday, Dec. 14.
In a Viber message to the media, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that only one of the two Omicron cases was fully inoculated and both are now in isolation facilities.
“[They are] in the quarantine facility. We have separate facilities for quarantine and isolation. One is fully vaccinated and the other is not vaccinated,” she said.
DOH also reported 33 positive cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant while 13 had no lineage assigned. The latest sequencing run was composed of samples from 21 Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs), one foreign national, and 26 local cases from areas with case clusters.
One of the cases is a ROF who arrived from Japan on Dec. 1 via Philippine Airlines flight number PR 0427. The sample was collected on Sunday, Dec. 5.
His positive result was released on Dec. 7 and the case was admitted to an isolation facility on the same date. He is asymptomatic but had symptoms of colds and cough upon arrival.
The other case is a Nigerian who arrived on Nov. 30 via Oman Air with flight number WY 843.
The sample was collected on Dec. 6 and the result was released on Dec. 7.
He was admitted to an isolation facility on the same date. His current status is also asymptomatic.
Earlier, National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) Chief and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. reminded the public to remain vigilant and not be too complacent amid the reports of Omicron variant in the country this holiday season.
“Yung mga magkakaroon ng mga party, let’s be aware dahil mayroon na tayong tinatawag na dalawang kaso ng Omicron, ‘yun nga ang sinasabi namin na it’s a matter of time,” he said in an interview during the visit of NTF officials in a vaccination site in Nueva Ecija.
Currently, the health department is determining possible close contacts among co-passengers during the flights of these two cases.
“[We are] getting the manifest. We will inform all of you as soon as we have further details,” Vergeire said.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III also said that they are coordinating with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other concerned agencies to contact and trace the co-passengers of the two cases.
“The BOQ and the DOTR there are all on track in doing what needs to be done to do the back tracing kung mayroon [transmission] ‘yung mga kasama sa eroplano. ‘Yung 4x4x4 na mga nakatabi ay dapat na matukoy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Malacañang Palace lauded the early detection of Omicron cases by the DOH and other health agencies and assured the public of monitoring developments of the two cases.
“We laud our health experts, particularly the Department of Health, the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center and the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health for their early detection of these two cases. At present, active case finding and contact tracing are being conducted to determine the health condition of co-passengers of the said confirmed case,” Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in a statement.
“This early detection forms part of our Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) strategy that has been in place all throughout the pandemic,” he added.
“We assure our people that we will closely monitor developments of the two cases in light of existing protocols, as we continue to remind the public not to let their guard down, to religiously observe minimum public health standards, and call upon all those unvaccinated to get their jabs as soon as possible,” Nograles said.
The DOH is now verifying the test results and health status of all passengers of these flights to determine if there are other confirmed cases or passengers who became symptomatic after arrival.
Travelers who arrived in the country through the flights are encouraged to contact the DOH COVID-19 Hotlines at (02) 8942 6843 or 1555, or their respective LGUs to report their status.
As for the additional 33 Delta variant cases, 14 were ROFs. These bring the total tally of confirmed Delta variant cases to 7,919.
The health department encouraged the public to join the ongoing national vaccination drive, “Bayanihan, Bakunahan”, to protect themselves against the virus.
“The DOH also urges those unvaccinated to get vaccinated during the National Vaccination Days to receive the additional protection that vaccines provide against COVID-19,” the DOH presser read. -Reports from Mark Fetalco and Ryan Lesigues / CC- bny