First Cases of Omicron BF.7 Detected in PH

The first cases of the Omicron sub-variant BF.7 which is driving the current COVID-19 in China had been detected in the Philippines, according to the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, December 23.

This comes as the DOH reported that four cases of the Omicron sub-variant BF.7 are now in the country, which was tagged as a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization, with the first cases coming from the National Capital Region.

DOH added that the sub-variant is “still being reported under Omicron BA.5.”

According to DOH, who followed WHO definitions, a VOC-subvariant under monitoring is a “SARS-CoV-2 variant belonging to a currently circulating VOC (according to phylogenetic analysis) showing signals of transmission advantage compared to other circulating VOC lineages and has additional genetic changes known or suspected to confer change in epidemiology or fitness advantage.”

The Omicron Sub-variant BF.7 was first detected in the United States and Europe in October of this year, accounting for as much as more than 5 percent of all COVID-19 cases in the US by the end of October 2022.

In China, COVID-19 cases are surging after the government caved to the public outcry, protests, and clashes between the police force and protesters against the zero-COVID policy.

This has caused Xi Jinping’s government to soften China’s stance on lockdowns at the cost of a surge in COVID-19 cases around the country. (GFB)