The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed Friday that some parts of the country are experiencing localized community transmission of Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant.
“May nakikita tayong datos na nagsusuporta na localized yung community transmission” DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Alethea de Guzman said during a press briefing.
Local transmissions of the XBB subvariant reported in Western Visayas. The XBC variant, on the other hand, local transmissions were also seen in Davao and Soccsksargen, De Guzman said.
However, she said the local transmissions were not connected with each other.
“For us, we say na it’s localized kasi hindi siya buong bansa. Hindi namin madeklara na may community transmission sa buong bansa but in selected regions there is already,” she said.
Currently, the health department found 81 cases of XBB in Western Visayas and Davao Region. Among the said number, 75 of them have recovered, three are still under isolation, while the remaining three are under verification.
Moreover, there are 193 cases of XBC in 11 regions: Cagayan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao, Soccsksargen, Cordillera, Caraga, Bangsamoro, and Metro Manila.
Among the said cases, 173 of them have recovered, three are still in isolation, while the remaining nine are still being verified.
— Ronald Espartinez