The Philippines on Tuesday reported its first two cases of the new subvariant BA.2.75 of the highly transmissible Omicron COVID-19 variant, the Department of Health confirmed.
In a media briefing, Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the first two cases of BA.2.75 subvariant were both from Western Visayas and have both recovered already.
No other details were released on the identity of the patients.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the BA.2.75 Omicron subvariant was first reported in India and is now present in at least 10 more counties.
Meanwhile, the country also detected 1,015 additional BA.5 cases in all regions except in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao. Three returning overseas Filipinos also tested for BA.5, the DOH said.
Of the new BA.5 cases, Vergeire said 883 have already recovered, 84 are still undergoing isolation, while the status of 48 others is still being verified.
About 26 new cases of the Omicron BA.4 subvariant have also been reported with six coming from the National Capital Region; four from the Cagayan Valley, three from Western Visayas; two each from Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and the Cordillera Administrative Region; and one from Ilocos Region.
Out of the additional BA.4 patients, 21 are already tagged as recovered, two are still isolating, while the outcome of three others is being verified.
The DOH also said the Philippines recorded 18 new cases of BA.2.12.1. Five individuals are from the National Capital Region, three each from Ilocos Region and CAR; two each from Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Calabarzon; and one from Cagayan Valley.
Of the newly detected BA.2.12.1 cases, 13 are now recovered, four are still isolated, while the status of the other patient is still being verified.
The exposure and travel histories of the newly detected cases of Omicron subvariants, including the first BA.2.75 cases, are still being verified, Vergeire said.
