Pedestrians walk at a crossing in Makati City on July 12, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines has detected 104 more cases of highly transmissible omicron subvariants BA.5, BA.4, and BA.2.12.1, the Department of Health said Friday.
Government found 95 additional cases of the omicron BA.5, 7 more cases of the BA.4, and 2 new cases of the BA2.12.1, according to DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
The latest figures raise the country's total to 3,107 BA.5 cases, 174 BA.2.12.1 cases, and 104 BA.4 cases, Vergeire said.
Of the 95 new BA.5 cases, a total of 83 have recovered, while 5 were undergoing isolation, and the status of the remaining 7 patients was being verified, according to Vergeire.
Sixty-seven patients were from Davao region, 25 from Cagayan Valley, and 1 each from Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Metro Manila, Vergeire said.
A total of 7 more BA.4 patients were also reported, all of whom have recovered, according to the DOH OIC.
Five of the patients were from Soccksargen and 2 were from Davao region. All were fully vaccinated, Vergeire added.
Meantime, 2 more BA.2.12.1 cases from Davao region were logged, both of whom have recovered, Vergeire said. Both were also fully vaccinated, she added.
The exposure and travel histories of all patients have yet to be identified, according to the DOH OIC.
The Philippines earlier this week recorded its first 2 cases of the omicron BA.2.75 subvariant in 2 patients from Western Visayas, the DOH said.
The subvariant, dubbed "Centaurus" due to its rapid spread, is more transmissible than other sublineages and is likely to have high immune evasion, Vergeire earlier said.
The DOH has so far identified 3 close contacts of the cases, its officer-in-charge said. The agency continues to coordinate with the regional authorities, she added.
Government aims to administer 23 million more booster shots by October 8, or within the first 100 days of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s 100 days, to protect the public against more transmissible subvariants, Vergeire said.
The DOH has revised its target to 443,892 additional doses daily after failing to meet its initial target of 397,000, Vergeire added.
A total of 71.8 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated as of Friday, the DOH OIC said. Of the total figure, 16.4 million have received an additional dose, while 1.4 million have received a second booster, she added.
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