Philippine health officials remain calm about the Omicron subvariant, noting that initial studies suggest it's no different from the dominant variant of Omicron now. Here's what we know so far. RapplerIQ
have said that BA.1 has a mutation that shows up on PCR tests, making the detection of Omicron easy. Meanwhile, BA.2 does not have the same mutation, making it difficult to detect.UK scientists said that it was too early to know whether the Omicron subvariant would spread in the same way as the original Omicron.
The UK Security Health Agency said that the Omicron subvariant had been found in some 40 countries around the world.According to SSI, initial studies showed no differences in hospitalizations for BA.2 compared to BA.1. This was echoed by Dr. Meera Chand of the UK Health Security Agency, as quoted in the same article: “So far there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than BA.1, but data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate.”In a televised public briefing on Monday, January 24, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the Philippines’ epidemiology bureau was coordinating with the World Health Organization regarding the subvariant.
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