The coronavirus variants Deltacron and Omicron BA.2.2 sublineage have not reached the Philippines yet, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday, March 16.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that this was based on the biosurveillance activities being conducted.

Duque said that Deltacron is a “recombination” of Delta and Omicron coronavirus variants.

“Sa kasalukuyan Mr. President, hindi pa ito naitatala sa ating bansa at nanatiling nagsasaliksik ang ating mga experts upang mahigit na maunawaan ang kabuuang katangian ng recombinant variant na ito in terms of hawahaan, mas mabilis ba ito o transmissibility; o pag iwas ng proteksyong taglay bigay ng bakuna; at yung kanyang kakayahan na magdulot ng mas serious/severe or critical disease (Currently Mr. President, this has not yet been recorded in our country. Our experts are still doing research to better understand the overall nature of this recombinant variant in terms of transmission; its possible effect in the vaccine's efficacy; and its ability to cause serious/severe or critical disease),” said Duque during President Duterte’s public address.

At present, Deltacron has been detected in France, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.

“Kahit na ito ay na detect mula noon ay mababa po ang detection rate. Ito ay hindi pa nagpapakita ng kakayahang makapanghawa ng mas matulin pa sa Omicron at mas mabangis pa sa Delta. Hopefully, hindi naman po sana mangyari ito (Even though it has been detected since then, the detection rate remains low. It has yet to show the ability to infect much faster than Omicron and Delta. Hopefully, this will not happen),” said Duque.

“Naniniwala tayo na ang ating kasalukuyang istratehiya at mga hakbang laban sa Omicron ay magiging patuloy na epektibo pa rin sa banta ng recombinant variant na ito

(We believe that our current strategy and measures against Omicron will continue to be effective against the threat of this recombinant variant),” he assured.

The DOH is also monitoring the Omicron BA.2.2 sublineage as this is currently affecting Hong Kong, said Duque.

“Ayon sa ilang researchers, karamihan ng kaso ng Omicron variant sa Hong Kong, na kung saan sumisipa po ang kaso, ay mula sa sublineage BA.2.2 at kasabay nito, ang nasabing variant ay nakitang tumataas ang bilang sa UK at iba pang bansa (According to some researchers, most of the cases of the Omicron variant in Hong Kong are from sublineage BA.2.2 and at the same time, there is an increase in the number of cases of this variant in the UK and other countries),” he said.

“Ang naobserbahang pagtaas ng kaso sa Hong Kong ay iniuugnay sa variant na ito na BA.2.2 sublineage. Ngunit ilan sa mga researchers ay nagsasabi na ang pagtaas ng kaso sa Hong Kong ay dahil sa kanilang mababang vaccination rate, lalo na sa mga nakakatanda (The observed increase in cases in Hong Kong is attributed to this variant BA.2.2 sublineage. But some researchers say it is due to their low vaccination rate, especially among the elderly),” he added.

The Philippines has not recorded a case of Omicron BA.2.2 sublineage so far, said Duque.

“Sa ngayon Mr. President wala pang natutuklasan na BA.2.2 sublineage na mga samples na na-sequenced ng Philippine Genome Center sa ating bansa. Pero patuloy po tayong nagbabantay (Right now Mr. President, there remains no BA.2.2 sublineage cases in the samples that have been sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center. But we continue to be vigilant),” he added.