DoH reports third case of Omicron variant

The Department of Health (DoH) on Monday reported another case of highly-transmissible Omicron variant, bringing the Philippines’ total caseload to three.

In a media briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that based on the latest genomic sequencing run, the third Omicron variant case was a 36-year-old male sea-based overseas Filipino worker

Vergeire said the returning overseas Filipino (ROF) arrived in the Mactan Cebu International Airport via Qatar Airways flight number QR 924 on 28 November.

She noted that the third Omicron variant case had a travel history in Egypt and was unvaccinated.

“He was quarantined in Cebu upon arrival on 28 November, tested on 4 December, turned positive 5 December and was transferred to an isolation facility and stayed in isolation until 16 December,” she added.

Vergeire said the new Omicron variant case finished his five days of quarantine and isolation before he was able to travel back home.

The ROF was able to go home to Cavite on 17 December where he underwent home quarantine.

“The case completed his isolation in Cebu before traveling back to Cavite, his home town, where he immediately self-quarantined at home upon arrival,” she added.

The official said it is already determining the possible close contacts of the third case among co-passengers and verifying the test results of the passengers aboard flight QR 924.

Last week, the Philippines reported its first two cases of the Omicron variant. The two cases including their eight close contacts have already tested negative for Covid-19.

 

Other variants

In the same biosurveillance report, the DoH reported additional 496 cases of Delta variant out of the 630 samples sequenced. It is equivalent to 78.73 percent of the samples subjected to whole genome sequencing.

The majority of new Delta variant cases came from Region 9 with 109 cases, followed by Region 2 with 75 cases, Region 5 with 46 cases and Region 6 with 40 cases.

So far, there are now a total of 8,415 cases of the Delta variant. It is still the most dominant variant in the country.

Meanwhile, the agency also reported a new case of Alpha variant. It was detected in CALABARZON. The new case brought the new cases of Alpha variant to 3,169.