121 new cases of Omicron subvariants detected —DOH

At least 121 new cases of Omicron subvariants have been detected in the country, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Among the recent samples sequenced from February 20 to 24 by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and University of the Philippines' Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), 60 were classified as BA.2.3.20.

Thirty-three were classified as XBB including three cases classified as XBB.1.5, eight as XBC, and 20 as other Omicron sublineages.

Of the additional BA.2.3.20 cases, the DOH said 59 were local cases from Regions 2, 3, 4B, 11, 12, and National Capital Region (NCR), while one case was classified as from a Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF).

The Health department said among the 33 recently reported XBB cases, one case was a ROF while 32 were local cases from Regions 3, 4B, 11, 12, and Caraga (including three XBB.1.5 cases).

It added that all additional XBC cases were local cases from Regions 4B, 11, and 12.

Omicron subvariants under World Health Organization monitoring are BF.7, BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.5, and XBF as of February 9. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA Integrated News