PH reports its first two Omicron cases, bans flights from 8 countries
The Philippines has detected its first two cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant from separate travelers who arrived recently from Japan and Nigeria.
The Department of Health (DOH) reported that these cases were detected in the 48 samples sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center last December 14.
One of the two confirmed cases is an OFW from Japan who arrived in the country on December 1, while the second is a Nigerian national who arrived last November 30.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the Filipino had coughs and colds upon arrival, but the Nigerian is asymptomatic. One of them is fully vaccinated before landing in the country.
The two cases are now in a quarantine facility while their fellow passengers and close contacts are now being tracked by the government.
In a bid to prevent the spread of the new virus strain, Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said that flights from eight countries — Andorra, France, Monaco, Northern Mariana Islands, Reunion, San Marino, South Africa, and Switzerland — are temporarily banned from entering the Philippines starting December 16 to 31.
Only Filipinos who are returning through repatriation and “Bayanihan” flights are exempted from the travel restriction.
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