ILOILO City – The immune-evasive XBB subvariant and another XBC subvariant of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been detected in Western Visayas.
The Department of Health (DOH) disclosed that 60 of the total 81 cases of XBB subvariant recorded in the country were from the region. All 60 and another one from Davao region were local cases.
The XBB subvariant, first detected in India last August 2022, is a recombinant of two Omicron subvariants.
Preliminary studies suggest that the XBB subvariant shows higher immune evasion ability than the BA.5 subvariant, but there is no sufficient evidence that this subvariant causes a more severe illness.
Currently available evidence for XBB does not suggest any differences in disease severity and/or clinical manifestations compared to the B.1.1.529 Omicron subvariant.
Moreover, the region also has five local cases of XBC subvariant.
To note, there were a total of 193 XBC subvariant cases detected in 11 regions in the country, of which 71 are local cases.
Meanwhile, according to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO), of the 65 XBB and XBC cases, 18 were from Iloilo province.
PHO said cases of XBB were logged in Pavia and Oton with three each and one each from Alimodian, Cabatuan, Lambunao, Leganes, Miag-ao, Passi City, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara. All four XBC cases, meanwhile, were from Pavia.
Based on the case line list, of the 61 local XBB cases, eight cases are still active, 50 have been tagged as recovered, and three more are still being verified.
At present, XBB subvariant has been detected in at least 24 countries and four continents and has been the primary cause of the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Singapore.
The DOH Region 6 is yet to release the breakdown of the XBB cases per province and city in the region.
The 81 XBB subvariant cases were part of the latest 766 samples processed for whole genome sequencing at the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), UP-PGC Visayas, and the UP – National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) on Oct. 15 to 17, 2022.
Other cases detected were one Delta variant and its sublineages, one Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant case, three Omicron BA.4 subvariant cases, 180 Omicron BA.5 subvariant cases, 246 Omicron BA.2.3.20 subvariant cases, and 71 Omicron XBC subvariant cases.
DOH added that based on the case line list, five XBC cases died, 63 have been tagged as recovered, while there are three cases that are still being verified.
The XBC subvariant is a recombinant of the Omicron (BA.2) and Delta (B.1.617.2) variants.
As of Oct. 3, 2022, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) classified the XBC subvariant as under monitoring and investigation.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centers for Disease Control (ECDC) are yet to determine the risk this subvariant poses.
As of Oct. 18, Region 6 still has 1,764 active cases of COVID-19 from the 197, 660 total confirmed cases since 2020. COVID death toll in the region stands at 6,323.
The alert level system of the region remains at Alert Level 1 and healthcare utilization rate is also at low risk.
COVID-19 VACCINES REMAIN EFFECTIVE
Meanwhile, following this recent detection of new Omicron subvariants, the DOH reiterated that vaccines remain effective in preventing severe and critical COVID-19, as well as death from COVID-19, regardless of variants.
Likewise, the DOH emphasized that despite the detection of the new variant and subvariant, the country’s healthcare utilization rate remains at low risk, and that preparatory activities have already been initiated to ensure that triage systems are in place and step-down health facilities are available should an increase in healthcare utilization rates be observed.
To further ensure that the country’s healthcare utilization rates remain low, the DOH reminded the public, especially the immunocompromised and the elderly, to get vaccinated and boosted to prevent severe and critical COVID-19, as well as death.
Moreover, the DOH highlighted that new variants will naturally emerge with continued transmission, and that limiting the spread of COVID-19 is the definitive way to prevent this emergence. Hence, adherence to minimum public health standards such as masking, isolation, ventilation, and hand washing are important steps the public can take to mitigate transmission.
“We remind the public that regardless of the variant, we must continue to work together to prevent virus transmission and mutation. Hence, as we learn to live with COVID-19, we must arm ourselves with the proper knowledge and ability to assess our individual risk and consequently supplant our individual defenses such as vaccination, masking, physical distancing, sanitation, and ventilation”, said DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire. (With a report from DOH)/PN
