Vergeiri

DOH: 1st Omicron subvariant BA.2.12 case had 44 close contacts

April 28, 2022 Lee Ann P. Ducusin 302 views

THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday disclosed that the number of close contacts of the Finnish female who was the first detected Omicron BA.2.12 carrier in the country has increased to 44.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that based on their current contact tracing, nine were in Quezon City, five in Benguet, and 30 were from the plane she rode to Manila.

On Wednesday, the DOH announced that the Philippines has detected its first case of Omicron BA.2.12 in Baguio City in a 52-year-old Finnish female who arrived from Finland on April 2.

The unnamed foreigner was not required to undergo routine isolation at a quarantine facility since she was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and arrived asymptomatic.

The DOH said the Finnish national has finished her seven-day isolation and recovered and discharged. It added that the patient returned to her home country on April 21.

Vergeire earlier pointed out that while the BA.2.12 sublineage was 2.5 times more infective, it is not more severe than the original Omicron variant.

The DOH earlier said that BA.2.12 is neither a variant of interest nor a variant of concern.

“The public can avoid all variants, whether new or currently circulating, by wearing the best-fitting mask, isolating when sick, double-up protection through vaccination and boosters, and ensuring good airflow,” it added.

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