Baguio City records first case of Omicron BA.2.12

Baguio City has recorded its first case of Omicron BA.2.12. The Omicron BA.2.12 is said to be a sublineage or sub-variant of the Omicron variant and it is found to have higher transmissibility.  The Omicron BA.2.12 is one of the sub-variants responsible for the surge of cases in Europe, South Korea and the United States.

Baguio records first case of Omicron BA.2.12

According to the report shared by the public information office of Baguio City. The first case of Omicron BA.2.12 came from a 52-year-old female visitor from Finland.

The said patient arrived in the Philippines on April 2, 2022, and was in Baguio City on April 7, 2022.

After exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 on April 10, 2022, she got tested and the result was released on April 11, 2022, and she was found to be positive for the virus.

On April 12 she was admitted to a hospital in Baguio City and was given an initial diagnosis of Hypertension II COVID Infection. The patient recovered and was discharged on April 18, 2022. She then left the Philippines for Finland on April 20.

The Philippine Genome Center in their report showed that the variant that infected the patient was Omicron BA.2.12.

Baguio City is prepared for another surge

In the event that another surge happens because of the new Omicron variants, Baguio city Mayor Benjamin Magalong assured the public that Baguio City is ready. Facilities and health systems are already in place. Baguio City has several isolation facilities and health protocols that were used to combat the surge of the Delta and Omicron variants, which can again be reactivated if the city will again face another surge.

The virus is still here

While Baguio City has been experiencing a low number of cases in the past few months, including a day where there were zero (0) active cases, it is not a reason to be complacent. The virus is still here and it continues to mutate. China is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 forcing the government to put cities under lockdown.

This is why the public, both residents and tourists in Baguio City are reminded to always follow the minimum public health standards by wearing your facemask properly, observing physical distancing and sanitizing, and regularly washing your hands. Furthermore, residents are also encouraged to be vaccinated and boosted to add another layer of protection against COVID-19.