New COVID-19 Variant XBB.1.5 Quickly Spreading in the US, No Reported Cases Yet in PH

Scientists and health experts have recently sounded the alarm about the new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, which is spreading rapidly across the United States, named the XBB.1.5 variant.

Scientist JP Weiland pointed out on December 16 in New York the “new variant to watch,” where the XBB.1.5 variant appears to have evolved.

Since December 16, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that cases of the XBB.1.5 variant had doubled by December 31.

This makes up 40.5 percent of all COVID-19 infections in the US, which highlights how the XBB.1.5 variant can infect more individuals efficiently.

While the new XBB.1.5 variant of the COVID-19 virus has been added to the list of Variants of Concern by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) on the other hand has not yet included it in its list of Variants of Concern or Omicron sub-variants being monitored.

The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) stated on January 3 that there have been no reported cases of XBB.1.5 in the country yet.

Moreover, the state health department reassured the public that the government is actively implementing COVID-19 surveillance and monitoring activities, and is confident in its ability to detect potential variants that may enter the Philippines.

However, the DOH reminded the public to continue following minimum public health standards, such as physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and mask-wearing, as new COVID-19 variants continue to emerge and re-emerge. (GFB)