High possibility Omicron in Zamboanga City

There is a high possibility that the Omicron variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) may already be present in Zamboanga City.

Dr. Cathy Garcia, assistant city health officer, cited the steady increase in cases over recent days as evidence for this possibility.

As of Wednesday, there were 319 active cases, with 93 recorded on January 12, marking a significant rise from 85 active cases on January 4.

In contrast, Dr. Joshua Brillantes, DOH-9 director, reported that the Zamboanga Peninsula remains free from Omicron as of January 11.

However, Brillantes advised local government units and hospital authorities to prepare for potential surges in Covid-19 cases due to the threat posed by the variant.