DOH reports 2 additional BQ.1 cases, brings total to 16

The Department of Health (DOH) reported two additional cases of Omicron BQ.1, a sublineage of the highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 16.

Based on the latest genome sequencing of UP-Philippine Genome Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and San Lazaro Hospital from November 21 to 24, the two new local cases of BQ.1 came from Regions 2 and 7.

The DOH earlier reported that 13 local cases were from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions 1, 4A, 7, and National Capital Region (NCR).

The Health Department said it has yet to confirm if the remaining case is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF).

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said BQ.1 is “more transmissible and highly immune evasive” compared to other Omicron subvariants.

“What we know so far from this BQ.1, it is more transmissible and also highly immune evasive compared to the other subvariants of Omicron,” she said.

“Pero we have always reiterated to everybody that it is time for us that our mindset would be that yes, we are aware that there are these variant and subvariant being detected in the country but we should also be aware whatever variants and subvariants may be detected, our protocols for us to get direction and also to protect our families are all the same,” she said.

US health regulators on Friday estimated that BQ.1 and closely related BQ.1.1 accounted for 16.6% of coronavirus variants in the country, nearly doubling from last week, while Europe expects them to become the dominant variants in a month.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said the variants are likely to drive up cases in the coming weeks to months in the European region.

Meanwhile, the DOH said at least 536 new cases of Omicron subvariants were recorded.

Not expecting a significant increase in COVID-19 cases

At the press briefing on Friday, Vergeire said they are not expecting a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 infections amid the holiday festivities.

“Hopefully not, yun ang gusto nating marating kahit anong pagtitipon at pagsasalo ang ating ginagawa basta alam ng bawat pilipino proteksyunan ang kanilang sarili we do not expect a significant increase in the number of cases,”she said.

She said that there was no "significant" uptick in the number of cases during this year’s Undas, adding that they hope the same trend will happen in the coming Christmas season.

The DOH official urged the public to comply with the health protocols to avoid the spread of the viral disease.

“Ang pinaka-importante talaga sa atin because we know the virus is here to stay expected may kaso. Expected pagnagsasama ang mga tao medyo may tataas na kaso pero ang pinaka-importante sa atin huwag lamang tataas yung mga taong may severe at critical na impeksyon lalong lalo na huwag mapupuno ang ating mga ospital,” Vergeire said.

Projections

Vergeire said they are expecting at least 3,172 COVID-19 cases by December if the public’s compliance with the minimum public health standards decreases.

“Yung ating latest projections na ginawa ng ating mga experts, tinataya na kung saka sakali magtutuloy tuloy ang pagbaba ng compliance to minimum public health standards  ang pinakamataas na maaari nating makuha ay 3,172 cases na maaaring mangyari,” she said.

“Sa ngayon nasa 1,288 cases tayo so maaring dumoble o trumiple itong ating numero ng kaso depende sa pagpapatupad natin o pagcomply sa minimum public health standards,” she added.

She said these projections may or may not happen depending on the compliance of the public.

No recommendation to lower number of isolation days

Vergeire said there is no recommendation yet to lower the number of isolation days for COVID-19 positive patients despite the easing restrictions in the wearing of face masks.

She said currently the isolation days for COVID-19 positive patients is still seven days.

They are still required to undergo the seven days isolation until the symptoms are no longer present.

“Kapag naman ikaw ay exposed sa isang confirmed positive and you are fully vaccinated you are no longer required to quarantine. Pwede ka lumabas pero nandyan ang precaution na dapat lagi kang nakamask and you should observe yourself,” Vergeire said.

“So yung possibility na baba pa sa number of days yung isolation, sa ngayon wala pa tayong recommendation, although in other countries they are implementing limang araw na lang sa ibang bansa kahit positive ka basta wala kang symptoms maari kang lumabas,” she said.

“Wala pa po tayo sa puntong yon na nirerecomenda ng ating mga experto na gagawin natin yan pero of course eventually atin pong pinagaaralan yan at titignan natin kung maaari ipatupad lalo na kung tataas ang ating pagbabakuna,” she added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News