The Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday 81 first cases of the Omicron XBB subvariant have been detected in Western Visayas and Davao Region.

The DOH said 70 have recovered, eight are still undergoing isolation. The outcomes of three remaining cases are being verified.

No deaths have been reported due to the Omicron XBB subvariant.

The DOH also detected 193 XBC subvariants, with 176 persons recovered, five dead and three isolated. The outcomes of the remaining nine cases are being verified.

The XBC cases were found in Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Caraga, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, National Capital Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region.

DOH Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said it is assessing if there is a local or community transmission of the two lineages.

The DOH said the Omicron XBB subvariant has been the main cause of COVID-19 case increases in Singapore.

Available evidence for XBB, Vergeire said, does not suggest any differences in disease severity and clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant.

The XBC variant is still being monitored, the DOH said. DMS