Omicron spotted in Central Visayas

CEBU, Philippines — Experts have confirmed what has been suspected all along – the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has reached Cebu and Central Visayas.

The Department of Health (DOH)-7 announced on Tuesday that 22 cases of Omicron were found in 78 samples from the region sent for genome sequencing. The samples were taken from December 27, 2021 to January 6, 2022.

Of the 22 cases, 16 are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), one is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF), and five are local residents. Some of these cases are from Cebu but details have yet to be verified, said DOH-7 chief pathologist, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche.

She said they are checking if the five local patients have had exposure to the OFWs or the ROF. The good news is that all 22 patients have been discharged and contract tracing has been conducted.

 If Omicron has been in the region since December, can it be said that it has driven the resurgence of cases in the region?

“Even wala pa po yung report natin, seeing the way cases are doubling and tripling in a matter of days, it's already a given Omicron is really with us,” Loreche said.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Central Visayas is under high risk classification with a moving two-week growth rate of -23 percent from December 7 to 20, 2021 versus December 21, 2021 to Jan 3, 2022 against 2581 percent from December 21, 2021 to January 4, 2022, and up to January 17,2022.

Duque said Central Visayas’ average daily attack rate in a population of 100,000 went to 5.36 from .20. With its sharp rise in cases – 602 new cases in a day on January 17 alone, based on DOH data – Cebu City has since presumed the Omicron variant has already reached Cebu shores.

From less than 50 in December, the city’s active cases ballooned quickly to 3,211 spread across 71 of its 80 barangays.

It’s positivity rate is now at 43.35 percent with 671 of 1,548 residents testing positive in a latest test.

 It is its highest positivity rate since the start of the pandemic. Majority of the new cases are those between the 21-40 age bracket at 356 but the city also notices 41 patients under the age of 10 and 54 others between 11-20 years old.

 At least 79 are from the 41-50 bracket, 69 are from the 51-60 bracket, 49 are from the 61-70 bracket, and 23 are from the 71-above bracket.

Among the symptoms of Omicron include sore throat, dry cough, and fatigue that may overlap with flu symptoms.

Loreche said Omicron attacks the upper respiratory tract, unlike the Delta variant that attacks the lower respiratory tract. With the Omicron variant being highly transmissible, Loreche urged the public to continue observing minimum health protocols, including the wearing of mask, especially in crowded areas; being mindful of proper ventilation; and social distancing.

 “We need to be more conscious and mindful that we have the shared responsibility- each one of us has to embrace our minimum public health standards. Whatever the variant of concern, we still have the same measures to be followed,” she said. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, JMO (FREEMAN)