Seven extra circumstances of the COVID-19 Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 or “Arcturus” have been detected within the nation, bringing the whole caseload to 11.
Based on the Department of Health’s newest COVID-19 biosurveillance report, two new Arcturus circumstances have been recognized in Central Luzon and one other two within the Western Visayas. The Bicol Region, Mimaropa, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have one case every.
The information was based mostly on the samples sequenced by the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) Main and Visayas launched final May 9 to May 11, 2023.
The XBB.1.16 is tagged as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a “variant under monitoring” by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire mentioned it was possible native transmission of Arcturus was happening within the Philippines, contemplating that there was “no linkage” within the not too long ago detected circumstances.
Despite this, Vergeire mentioned the general public mustn’t fear about native transmission so long as they adhere to well being protocols reminiscent of sporting face masks as wanted, and getting vaccinated and boosted. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
