MANILA— Philippine authorities have found 22 close contacts of the country's 4th COVID-19 omicron variant case, including her husband, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

The DOH said it is still "verifying" the test results of the individual's close contacts.

• Philippines detects 4th case of omicron variant

It is not immediately clear how many of the 22 individuals were her co-passengers in the Philippine Airlines flight PR 127. It was also not disclosed how many people were aboard the flight.

The media is still waiting for DOH's response on the matter.

"The DOH is currently verifying the test results of all close contacts and have coordinated with the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Units to verify the health status of these cases," the DOH statement read.

To recall, the 38-year-old female passenger arrived in the Philippines from the US last Dec. 10. Her husband tested positive for COVID-19, the DOH had said.

The patient was asymptomatic and is reportedly scheduled for another test on Tuesday, the health department said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier noted that the household members of the 4th omicron case and her husband are isolated and would also be tested based on protocols.

• Husband of PH's 4th omicron variant patient tests positive for COVID

The country's 4 cases with the omicron variant are international travelers who were screened and quarantined at the border.

Philippines recorded a spike in new COVID-19 infections this week, with the DOH announcing nearly 900 fresh cases today, the highest in more than a month.

The positivity rate has also risen in the past week, analysts noted.

The health department said the recent rise in new cases could be attributed to the public's increased mobility during the holidays, and noted that it is not yet clear whether the omicron variant is driving it.

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