By Alec Go
The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday, June 22, reported the detection of 32 additional cases of Omicron sub-variant BA.5 in Region 3 (Central Luzon), Region 4A (Calabarzon), Region 6 (Western Visayas), and Metro Manila.
The DOH said 21 of the cases are from Western Visayas including nine belonging to a workplace cluster and three from a household cluster, four each from Calabarzon and Metro Manila, and three from Central Luzon.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media forum that 30 of the cases are fully vaccinated, one is partially inoculated, while the remaining patient’s jab status has yet to be verified.
“Sa kasalukuyan, hindi pa natutukoy ang exposure ng mga individuals at inaalam pa natin ang mga travel history ng mga ito,” she said.
Of the cases, 22 had mild symptoms and five were asymptomatic. The rest has yet to be verified. Sixteen have already been tagged as recovered and 14 are undergoing isolation.
To date, the Philippines has already logged 43 BA.5 cases. The BA.5 subvariant was first identified in South Africa early this year.
Meanwhile, Vergeire said the Philippines remains under low risk case classification for COVID-19 despite the “notable increase” in the number of cases.
From June 13 to 19, a total of 3,051 new COVID-19 cases were recorded with a daily case average of 436 or 82% higher than the figures on June 6 to 12. – gb
