Western Visayas logged three new cases of the COVID-19 Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, otherwise known as Arcturus.
The additional cases, which brought the total number of Arcturus cases in the region to four, were recorded from April 26 to May 6, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
In a statement, DOH said the new cases “have no links to international cases or no known history of exposure.”
“With that, the DOH reiterates that COVID-19 is here to stay and we must continue to learn and live with the virus. Hence, certain measures and protocols must be in place to help mitigate virus transmission and mutation,” the agency said.
“However, the department reminds the public that the symptoms of the said subvariant remains to be mild. In general, COVID-19 exhibits flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, headache, body pain, diarrhea – among others,” it added.
The first Arcturus case in the region and in the Philippines was from Iloilo province and was asymptomatic.
The Arcturus subvariant is currently tagged by the World Health Organization as a variant of interest.
“[It] is a sublineage of the Omicron, which has the ability to evade immunity and is said to be more transmissible,” the health department said.IMT
