Three Omicron subvariants detected in WV

By Sean Rafio and Joseph B.A. Marzan

Three cases of the COVID-19 Omicron BA.2.12.1 subvariant were detected in Iloilo province in Western Visayas, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said two local cases and one returning Filipino tested positive for the subvariant.

A returning Filipino from the United States with the subvariant is fully vaccinated, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

The 60-year-old returning Filipino arrived in the country on April 20. She left Manila and arrived in Iloilo on April 25, the DOH Western Visayas Center for Health Development (WV CHD) said in a statement.

The patient underwent RT PCR testing on April 27 after experiencing mild symptoms. The specimen was sent to the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center Visayas (UP PC Visayas) for genome sequencing on May 12.

The result released on May 16 showed that she was positive for BA. 2.12.2.

The two local cases are also fully vaccinated, the regional health department said.

DOH WV CHD also said that one of the local cases is a 69-year-old male from Iloilo Province. The patient was admitted in one of the hospitals in Iloilo Province on May 5 and tested positive on May 6. His specimen was subsequently sent for genome sequencing on May 12.

The patient has since recovered and is due for discharge on May 17.

On the other hand, one local case was a 66-year-old male who is still admitted in one of the hospitals in Iloilo City.

The Iloilo provincial government also confirmed that the two local Omicron cases are in the towns of Pavia and Zarraga.

They are said to have been infected by the BA.1.1.529 lineage and another BA subvariant, which have not yet been fully disclosed as of this writing.

The Provincial Epidemiological Surveillance Unit is currently investigating for more details on these new cases.

Vergeire stressed that local transmission is not the same as community transmission.

“‘Di pa ho ito community transmission kung saan malawakan na ang pagkalat at ‘di ma-trace ang lineages ng kaso,” she said in a press briefing.

Local transmission means the virus is contained in an area.

“When we say local transmission, it is confined to the area. It’s not widespread. Compared to community transmission where there are huge clusters of infection,” Vergeire explained.

Vergeire said the local government is now strengthening the four-door strategy to prevent further virus transmission.

The Health Department also recommended laboratories in Western Visayas to use RT-PCR test over the antigen test as part of surveillance.

The Philippines recorded its first cases of the highly transmissible subvariant in Metro Manila and Palawan. Two cases in Metro Manila are both local, while the cases in Puerto Princesa involve 11 foreigners and one local.

The Philippines now has 17 cases of BA.2.12.1 infections so far.

Of these, 16 are local cases — two in the National Capital Region, 12 in Puerto Princesa City, and two others in Western Visayas.

The BA.2.12.1 is expected to increase the cases worldwide due to its higher growth rate over BA.2, Reuters reported.

So far, the BA.2.12.1 has been detected in 23 countries. It comprises a majority of COVID-19 cases in the United States.