DOH: Omicron now predominant in Metro Manila

An official from the DOH stated that 15 areas in Metro Manila have cases of the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant.

Dr. Alethea de Guzman, DOH Epidemiology Bureau director, said Omicron is now the predominant variant in NCR and has been detected in 13 out of 17 regions.

De Guzman noted that increased mobility, reduced adherence to public health standards, and delays in detecting and isolating cases are contributing factors to the spike in infections.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said community transmission of Omicron is occurring in NCR despite a lag in whole genome sequencing.

To date, 43 Omicron variant cases have been confirmed in the country – 21 local and 22 from international travelers.