Although there is no evidence that causes more severe illness, XBB is more “immune-evasive.”
The Department of Health (DOH) announced on October 18 that it has detected the COVID-19 Omicron XBB subvariant in the Philippines.
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It has tallied 81 cases of XBB in two regions, with most or 70 cases already recovered. Meanwhile, eight are still undergoing isolation, as the remaining three cases are undergoing verification. Fortunately, none have died.
The DOH acknowledged that the subvariant has been the primary cause of the recent COVID-19 spikes in Singapore. However, it said there is no sufficient evidence that XBB causes more severe illness, citing the Singaporean Ministry of Health.
“Currently available evidence for XBB does not suggest any differences in disease severity and/or clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant.” The DOH cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“For now, we don’t see any reason to tighten restrictions. The life cycle of a virus includes mutations and new variants. The system is ready for these new cases,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Due to the widespread transmission of Omicron, WHO is monitoring its subvariants, including XBB.
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