(Eagle News)–The Philippines has detected over 900 more Omicron subvariant cases, the Department of Health said on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
According to the DOH, apart from the 889 additional cases of the BA.5 subvariant, detected were 16 new cases of the BA.4 subvariant, four cases of the BA.2.12.1 variant, two cases of the BA.2.75 subvariant, and at least 18 cases of “other sublineages.”
Of the 889 new BA.5 subvariant cases, the DOH said 211 came from Western Visayas, 126 from the National Capital Region (NCR), 111 from Central Luzon, 74 each from Bicol Region and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 60 from Calabarzon, 50 from Central Visayas, 38 from Ilocos Region, 33 from Cagayan Valley, 28 from Mimaropa, and 25 from Soccsksargen.
Over 20, or 24, came from Zamboanga Peninsula, 15 each from Northern Mindanao and Caraga Region, and two from Davao Region, while three cases are returning overseas Filipinos (ROF).
Of the 16 new BA.4 subvariant cases, four were from Soccsksargen, two each from the Ilocos Region, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, and Metro Manila, and one each from Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Calabarzon, and CAR.
Of the four cases of the BA.2.12.1 variant, one came from Cagayan Valley, another from Zamboanga Peninsula, another Calabarzon, and another from Mimaropa.
The DOH said of the two BA.2.75 subvariant cases, one each was detected in Western Visayas and Central Visayas.
The BA.4 and BA.5 have been flagged by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control as variants of concern.
The United States Center for Disease Control, meanwhile, has flagged BA.2.12.1 as it is believed to be behind the increase in COVID-19 cases in the US.
The BA.2.75 is considered a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organization.