Two international travelers have been found to be positive of the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron (B.1.1.529), the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Wednesday.
Based on the report of University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) the two imported cases of the Omicron variant were detected from the 48 samples sequenced on December 14, 2021.
The latest sequence run also showed 33 positive for the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant while 13 had no lineage assigned. The samples sequenced were from 21 Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs), one foreign national, and 26 local cases from areas with case clusters.
Omicron
The two Omicron variant cases are incoming travelers and are currently isolated in a facility managed by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).
One is a 48-year-old male ROF who arrived from Japan on December 1, 2021 via Philippine Airlines flight number PR 0427. The sample was collected on December 5, 2021.
His positive result was released on December 7 and the case was admitted in an isolation facility on the same date.
The DOH said that the male patient is currently asymptomatic but had symptoms of colds and cough upon arrival.
The other case is a 37-year-old Nigerian national who arrived from Nigeria on November 30, 2021 via Oman Air with flight number WY 843.
A sample was collected on December 6, 2021 and the result was released on December 7, 2021.
He was then admitted to an isolation facility on the same date. His current status is also asymptomatic.
DOH is determining possible close contacts among co-passengers during the flights of these two cases.
“Getting the manifest kami [We’re in the process of securing the flight manifest already], we will inform all of you as soon as we have further details,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told the media adding, “DOH is verifying the test results and health status of all passengers of these flights to determine if there are other confirmed cases or passengers who became symptomatic after arrival.
DOH is also asking travelers who have arrived in the Philippines through these flights that they may call the DOH COVID-19 Hotlines at (02) 8942 6843 or 1555, or their respective LGUs to report their status.
Vergeire said that one of the two cases is fully vaccinated and the other is not vaccinated.
Delta cases
OF the additional 33 Delta variant cases, 14 were ROFs.
The 19 local cases were tested in the following regions: three each from Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Caraga, and Soccsksargen, two from Western Visayas, and one each from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Eastern Visayas, and Davao region.
This update brings the total number of confirmed Delta variant cases to 7,919.
DOH assured that it is closely working with local government units for them to conduct active case finding and ensure that Covid-19 cases are immediately isolated, tested and contact traced, and that eligible samples for sequencing are submitted.
With the detection of the imported cases of Omicron variant, the DOH also urged everyone to adhere to the minimum public standards and properly wear face masks, frequently wash hands with soap and water or disinfect with alcohol, observe physical distancing, ensure proper ventilation, and avoid crowded areas.
“Moreover, this holiday season, the public should avoid holding mass gatherings to curb the transmission of Covid-19,” DOH said.
DOH also encouraged those unvaccinated to get themselves inoculated during the National Vaccination Days to receive the additional protection that vaccines provide against Covid-19.