New Omicron Subvariant, COVID Variant are Detected in the Philippines, Here's What We Know So Far
We're still in a pandemic.
(SPOT.ph) New COVID-19 virus sublineages have been detected in the Philippines, the Department of Health said today, October 18, including a new subvariant of Omicron that has been driving a spike in COVID-19 infections in Singapore.
The Philippines has so far confirmed 81 cases of the highly transmissible Omicron XBB subvariant from two regions, and 193 cases of the COVID-19 XBC variant from 11 regions according to DOH officer-in-charge Rosario Vergeire.
Of the 81 XBB cases, the DOH reported that 70 have recovered while eight are still undergoing isolation. The remaining three cases meanwhile are still under verification.
For the XBC cases, five have died while 176 have recovered. Three others are still under isolation while the remaining cases are subject to verification.
Also read: Everything You Need to Know About the Second Booster Dose Against COVID
What is Omicron XBB and COVID-19 XBC?
The Omicron XBB subvariant has been the primary cause of the new spikes in COVID-19 infections in Singapore. According to the Singaporean Ministry of Health, there is no sufficient evidence that the XBB variant causes a more severe illness.
Available data for the XBB subvariant, according to the DOH, also does not suggest any differences in disease severity or clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant.
The XBC variant on the other hand is a “recombinant” of Delta and BA.2 variants according to the DOH. It is currently under monitoring and investigation as classified by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency. The DOH however noted that other global health agencies such as the World Health Organization have yet to determine the risks posed by the variant.
What should we do?
Despite the detection of the new subvariant, the DOH said the Philippines remains to be at low risk and hospitalizations remain manageable.
According to the health department, fast-tracking vaccine deployment and ensuring adequate health system capacity would help minimize the impact on hospital admissions.
Here are other recommendations to help slow and stop the spread of COVID-19, regardless of variant:
- Continue practicing minimum public health standards such as social distancing, wearing of face masks, and frequent handwashing.
- Get your COVID-19 vaccine booster ASAP.