by: Jade Veronique V. Yap 

The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a localized community transmission of the country's Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant. 

"May nakikita tayong datos na nagsusuporta na localized ‘yung community transmission," DOH Epidemilogoy Bureau Director Alethea De Guzman said in a press briefing, Friday, October 21. 

(We see data that supports that community transmission is localized). 

Local transmission of the XBB subvariant was detected in Western Visayas, while the XBC variant was detected in Davao and Soccsksargen regions. 

De Guzman said the identified local transmissions are not related to each other.

"For us, we say na it’s localized kasi hindi siya buong bansa. Hindi namin madeklara na may community transmission sa buong bansa but in selected regions there is already," she added. 

(For us, we say it's localized because it's not the whole country. We cannot declare that there is community transmission in the entire country but in selected regions there is already). 

The DOH has recorded 81 cases of XBB subvariant in Western Visayas and Davao Region, including 75 who have recovered from the disease. Three remain in isolation, and the three others are still being verified.

According to De Guzman, there are no recorded fatalities in the XBB variant.

The DOH likewise logged 193 cases of XBC Cagayan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao, Soccsksargen, Cordillera, Caraga, Bangsamoro, and Metro Manila.

173 of the 193 XBC cases have recovered, three are still being isolated, and nine cases' results are still being confirmed.

Five XBC cases have so far died, and two of them were unvaccinated, one was vaccinated, and the vaccination status of the other two is still being confirmed.

DOH previously said that despite the recent detection of the highly transmissible Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant in the country, vaccines remain effective in preventing severe and critical COVID-19 and death from COVID-19, regardless of variant.

The Department also assured that surveillance and monitoring efforts would continue to be carried out to ensure that potential epidemic threats are addressed as soon as possible. 

They also stressed that the country's healthcare utilization rate remains low despite the discovery of the new variant and subvariant.

The DOH reminded the population, particularly the immunocompromised and elderly, to get vaccinated and get boosted to prevent serious and critical COVID-19, as well as deaths, and to ensure that healthcare utilization rates in the country remain low. 

They also urged the public to continue following the minimum public health standards to reduce transmission.

"We remind the public that regardless of the variant, we must continue to work together to prevent virus transmission and mutation. Hence, as we learn to live with COVID-19, we must arm ourselves with the proper knowledge and ability to assess our individual risk and consequently supplant our defenses such as vaccination,  masking, physical distancing, sanitation, and ventilation." Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said.