THE Department of Health (DOH) said that the very first two cases of the BA.5 variant of Omicron were recorded in two individuals in Central Luzon.
The cases have no travel history except in going to their polling precinct in Metro Manila, according to DOH Spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
The two individuals, who experienced cold and cough and were immediately placed under isolation, are now asymptomatic and considered recovered.
There were also two close contacts who are family members and continue to be in isolation after one of them tested positive of the virus.
It can be recalled that last month, the DOH recorded the first case of the Omicron BA.4 subvariant, a returning Filipino and at present, there are now 22 cases of Omicron BA.2.12.1
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in May that the subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are behind the surge of COVID-19 cases in South Africa.