The Philippines saw 1,379 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
The new cases brought the country's running total of cases to 3,987,316, wherein 3,900,344 were tagged as recoveries, 63,625 were fatalities, and 23,347 patients are still battling with the said viral illness.
Metro Manila remains the region with the most new cases in the last two weeks with 9,463. It was followed by Calabarzon with 4,912; Central Luzon with 2,666, Davao region 1,499, and Western Visayas with 1,406.
Local cases of Omicron subvariant XBB, XBC variant
In a related development, the DOH reported that some detected cases of the Omicron subvariant XBB and the XBC subvariant were local cases.
Out of the 81 Omicron subvariant XBB cases, 61 were local cases.
“The 61 XBB variant cases were all local cases with indicated addresses from Western Visayas with 60 cases and Davao region with one case,” the DOH said.
“Based on the case line list, eight cases are still active, 50 cases have been tagged as recovered, while there are three cases whose outcomes are still being verified,” it added.
The other 20 cases, meanwhile, were “previously detected with an Omicron subvariant” but have since been reclassified as the XBB variant.
Of the 193 XBC variant cases, 71 were local cases. These cases have an indicated address from Soccsksargen with 38 cases, Davao region with 27 cases, Western Visayas with five cases, and one case from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“Based on the case line list, five cases died, 63 cases have been tagged as recovered, while there are three cases whose outcomes are still being verified,” the DOH said.
The DOH noted that the other 122 cases were previously detected with Omicron or Delta subvariants but have been reclassified as the XBC variant.
To note, the Omicron subvariant XBB was first detected in India last August. It is a recombinant of two Omicron subvariants. At present, it has been detected in at least 24 countries, the DOH said.
The XBC variant is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2 and Delta (B.1.617.2) variant. As of Oct. 3, “the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) classified the XBC variant as a variant under monitoring and investigation,” the DOH said.