The Department of Health (DOH) is seeing a community transmission of the Omicron coronavirus variant in the National Capital Region although a peak in the number of cases is not expected until next month.

In a televised public briefing on Saturday, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that local cases of the Omicron variant have been detected despite a lag in the whole genome sequencing.

Community transmission happens when the transmission of an infectious disease within a group is extensive.

To date, the country has confirmed 43 Omicron variant cases – 21 local cases and 22 from international travelers.

World Health Organization country representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe previously said the Omicron variant may soon replace Delta as the dominant variant in the Philippines.

Vergeire said the number of active cases may double by next month.

“We are still yet to see the peak na baka mangyari sa dulo ng buwan na ito (which may happen at the end of this month) or even later in the second week of February,” she added.

Considering all factors, Vergeire said efficiently managing available resources is the government’s strategy now.

On Saturday, the country logged 39,004 new infections which pushed the active cases to 280,813 and the total case tally to 3,168,379.

There were also 23,613 new recoveries or an overall 2,834,708 representing 89.5 percent of total cases. (PNA)