PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – Aksyon Demokratiko vice-presidential candidate Dr. Willie Ong on Wednesday said there is a 35 percent chance of COVID-19 cases increasing after the May 9 polls due to the discovery of a new mutant variant called XE believed to be even more transmissible compared to the other strains of the virus.

Ong made the remark as international health officials are already turning their attention to the new mutant variant just days after the BA.2 strain of coronavirus achieved world dominance.

“Pero sa ngayon mukhang hindi naman kakalat pero as usual sinasabi ko sana naghanda tayo sa ospital, sa gamot, sa health workers, para just in case may dumating. Ang prediction ko nga after elections may 35 percent chance na tumaas,” Ong told reporters here shortly before the Team Isko motorcade.

“Just in case dumating ready tayo at hindi tayo magla-lockdown agad-agad na lang. Pero sa ngayon mababa naman, less than 2 percent ang positivity rate ibig sabihin maliit ang tsansa na makahawa sa panahon na ‘to,” Ong said.

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