Philippines detects 81 Covid cases of XBB Omicron subvariant

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): The Philippines has recorded 81 coronavirus cases characterized by the “highly immune-evasive” XBB Omicron subvariant, the Department of Health (DOH) announced Tuesday (Oct 18).

“Based on the latest sequencing run, we already logged 81 XBB cases in two regions of the country,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.

“Seventy were tagged as recovered already, eight are still under isolation, while the outcome of the three remaining cases are still being verified,” she also explained.

The new XBB coronavirus subvariant is believed to be highly immune-evasive as people with antibodies against Covid-19 could still acquire it.

It is also said that XBB, a recombinant of BJ.1 (BA.2.10.1 sublineage) and BM.1.1.1 (BA.2.75 sublineage), is causing the case surge in Singapore.

The symptoms of XBB subvariant are also similar to that of other Omicron subvariants, Vergeire said.

Citing the Singapore Ministry of Health, she also said there is no evidence that the XBB subvariant causes a more severe infection.

Additionally, Vergeire said the country likewise detected 193 coronavirus cases of XBC Omicron subvariant in 11 regions.

Of the 193 cases, the DOH official said 176 were tagged as recovered, three remains on isolation, five were reported to have died, while the status of the remaining cases are yet to be determined.

Vergeire said the United Kingdom Health Security Agency is classifying XBC as a variant under monitoring and investigation.

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