Marcos says closely monitoring COVID-19 variants | ABS-CBN

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Marcos says closely monitoring COVID-19 variants

Marcos says closely monitoring COVID-19 variants

Joyce Balancio,

ABS-CBN News

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This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the US. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles give coronaviruses their name, crown-like. NIAID-RML
This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the US. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles give coronaviruses their name, crown-like. NIAID-RML

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he was closely monitoring the new COVID-19 variants which recently emerged in other countries.

The omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which has been detected in the US and at least 28 other countries so far, is "the most transmissible subvariant" yet, according to World Health Organization's COVID-19 technical lead Van Kerkhove.

"Nakaabang tayo. Binabantayan natin nang husto… We’re watching it, of course, very closely,” the President said in a press briefing at the Ninoy Aquino International Aiport (NAIA).

(We are waiting. We're monitoring it thoroughly... We're watching it, of course, very closely.)

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But Marcos said there was no need to be concerned yet over new variants given that the country’s health sector remained capable of managing current infections.

“Like before, I’ve always looked at the hospitals and the occupancy rate. Kasi I start to worry pagka ‘yung ospital ay hindi na kaya tanggapin ang pasyente dahil punong-puno na sila. Wala pa tayo roon,” the President said.

“So far, mukha naman maayos, mukha namang nama-manage natin,” he added.

(I start to worry when the hospitals can no longer accept patients because they are full. We are not there yet. So far, it looks like it's going well, it looks like we're managing.)

There is no indication as yet that XBB.1.5 -- which has been spreading rapidly in the northeastern United States -- causes more severe disease than other types of COVID.

Meanwhile, there is also growing global concern over China's steep rise in COVID infections since Beijing last month abruptly lifted years of hardline restrictions, with hospitals and crematoriums quickly overwhelmed.

There were more than 13 million COVID cases reported to the WHO last month alone, Van Kerkhove said, "and we know that that's an underestimate because surveillance has declined."

There were also 15 percent more COVID deaths globally last month than the month before, she added.

Since 2020, the Philippines has tallied around 4 million COVID cases, of which 11,779 were active as of Thursday, according to the Department of Health.

— With a report from Agence France-Presse

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