NegOr reports PH's 1st case of Omicron subvariant BA.4: A Pinoy Seafarer!

NegOr reports PH's 1st case of Omicron subvariant BA.4
Mary Judaline Partlow May 23, 2022 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1175118

DUMAGUETE CITY – The province of Negros Oriental reported on Monday its first case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Omicron subvariant BA.4.

This is also the first case reported in the Philippines by the Department of Health over the weekend, a key health official here said.

Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion in a virtual presser said the infected person is from the municipality of Dauin but has recovered prior to arriving in the province.

A seafarer, the patient was under quarantine at a hotel in Metro Manila for two weeks, although Estacion did not mention any timeline.

“We have one patient from Dauin who is included under the variant of concern but it is not clear whether this person is vaccinated or not,” she said.

“This person was tagged as the first Covid-19 reported Omicron subvariant BA.4 to have entered the country,” she said.

She called on the people not to be “afraid” as this person and his family are “scheduled for swabbing today and the laboratory is already running the specimens”.

As of May 23, the total Covid-19 caseload of Negros Oriental is 23,549, broken down into 22,803 recoveries, five active cases, and 741 deaths.

Of the three new positive cases, two were unvaccinated and another was vaccinated, Estacion said. (PNA)