
Three additional cases of Omicron subvariant BA.5 were detected, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Tuesday, June 7.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that two cases were from Calabarzon, while the DOH is still verifying the address of the other case.
“The individual whose location is being verified is fully-vaccinated and an individual from Region IV-A is unvaccinated, while the other is being verified,” noted Vergeire.
“At the moment, exposure of individuals is still unknown and travel histories are being verified,” she added.
Vergeire said that they are also currently verifying the symptoms experienced by these cases as well as their close contacts. “However, the three individuals are now tagged as recovered,” she said.
There are now a total of five BA.5 cases detected in the Philippines.
Also, seven more cases of Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 were found. Of these new cases, three were from Metro Manila, while one case each from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Bicol Region.
“Tatlo yung fully vaccinated dito sa pito na ito. Tatlo walang bakuna, yung isa vineverify pa. Yung ibang datos katulad ng health status at saka outcome nila ngayon (Of the seven, three are fully vaccinated, three are unvaccinated, while the other one is still under verification. The other information such as health status and their outcome now), we are still verifying because these are part of the newly-released results coming from our sequencing of June 6,” said Vergeire.
The country has already detected a total of 29 cases of BA.2.12.1.
Despite this, Vergeire said that the country remains under low-risk classification for Covid-19.
The DOH spokesperson said that Metro Manila has registered a slight increase in Covid-19 cases, while other areas of the country are seeing a downward trend in cases.
She also noted that most hospital admissions remain to be “mild and asymptomatic” cases despite the slight uptick in the number of infections.