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Philippines detects first case of omicron subvariant FE.1

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Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Scanning electron micrograph of a cell (orange) infected with the omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (green), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/06/19/20230619-omicron-sasrs-2-niaia.jpg"/><figcaption>Scanning electron micrograph of a cell (orange) infected with the omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (green), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. <em>Credit: NIAID</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines has detected its first case of omicron subvariant FE.1, according to the Department of Health.</p><p>According to DOH&#x27;s latest COVID-19 biosurveillance report, FE.1 is a sublineage of XBB, which was added to the list of <a href="https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/variants-concern">variants under monitoring</a> by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on June 1.</p><p>So far, the FE.1, also known as XBB.1.18.1.1, has been detected in 35 countries or jurisdictions across 6 continents.</p><p>&quot;However, currently available evidence for the variant does not suggest any differences in disease severity and/or clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant,&quot; the <a href="https://doh.gov.ph/covid19-variants">DOH report said</a>.</p><p>&quot;Limited information is available for the variant and researchers are currently characterizing FE.1 in terms of transmissibility, immune evasion, and ability to cause more severe disease,&quot; it added.</p><div><strong>SEVERE INFECTION?</strong></div><p>In a televised public briefing Tuesday, an infectious diseases expert said the FE.1 may cause severe infection among the highly vulnerable population.</p><p>&quot;It may not be totally different as those XBB. So, most likely, it can still cause severe infection but only for those the highly vulnerable like the elderly population,&quot; said Dr. Rontgene Solante, president of the Philippine College of Physicians.</p><p>He said the new subvariant may cause mild symptoms particularly among the younger population, which is similar to other omicron variants that primarily affect the upper respiratory tract.</p><p>&quot;We would expect the same clinical manifestation as that of omicron. Ubo, lagnat, sore throat, pananakit sa katawan, and mostly, these are very mild,&quot; Solante said.</p><p>&quot;Most of the time especially &#x27;pag mga younger population hindi kailangan gamutin at hindi magpo-proceed dun sa severe form of infection.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/13/23/post-covid-vaccination-syndrome-what-do-we-know">Post-COVID vaccination syndrome: What do we know?</a></li></ul><p>The DOH biosurveillance report also revealed 2,215 other offshoots of omicron were also detected in the country.</p><p>Some 1,939 were classified as XBB. </p><p>Health authorities also detected 206 cases of BA.2.3.20, 34 as XBC, 4 as BA.5, 6 as BA.2.75, and 26 as other omicron sublineages.</p><p>These were results of the samples sequenced by the Southern Philippines Medical Center and the University of the Philippines - Philippine Genome Center last May 29 to June 12.</p><p>The Philippines on Monday recorded 505 new coronavirus infections, raising its tally to 4,159,815. Of the figure, some 8,659 are active COVID-19 cases.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/12/23/philippines-logs-6630-covid-19-cases-from-june-5-11">Philippines logs 6,630 COVID-19 cases from June 5-11</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2650284" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Philippines has detected its first case of omicron subvariant FE.1, according to the Department of Health.

Philippines detects first case of omicron subvariant FE.1

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Philippines detects first case of omicron subvariant FE.1

Davinci Maru,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 19, 2023 11:31 AM PHT

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Updated Jun 20, 2023 03:59 PM PHT

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