Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 7) — The Philippines has recorded its first cases of COVID-19 Omicron variants XBB.1.5 and CH.1.1, according to the latest report of the Department of Health (DOH).
DOH on Tuesday said out of the 1,078 sample sequenced from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, there is one case of XBB.1.5 and three cases of CH.1.1.
XBB.1.5 is a sublineage of XBB Omicron variant while CH.1.1 is a sublineage of BA.2.75 Omicron variant.
All regions except BARMM were also found to have cases of XBB Omicron variant while Regions 2, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, 11 and NCR were found positive for BA.2.75 cases.
DOH said the World Health Organization (DOH) classified XBB.1.5 as a variant of interest, which is a “variant with genetic changes that are predicted or known to alter virus characteristics.”
Meanwhile, CH.1.1 is considered as a variant under monitoring \”due to its increasing prevalence and potential for immune escape.\”
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, XBB.1.5 is classified as a variant of interest “due to its increasing prevalence globally and enhanced immune evading properties.”
DOH said XBB.1.5 “does not suggest any differences in disease severity and/or clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant.”
The health department added that the WHO will still classify the variant under Omicron until there is a significant characteristic difference between the two.
