Facade of the DOH main office in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — There is no reported case of the new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, or “Nimbus,” in the Philippines, according to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
At a Palace briefing, Herbosa also said the Epidemiology Bureau is monitoring the COVID-19 cases, particularly on the onset of the rainy season, and whether the new variant is already present in the country.
He also said that those who already received their vaccination for COVID-19 are likely protected already from the “Nimbus” variant.
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This new variant is known for causing painful or “razor blade throat” among its carriers, as reported by the Associated Press on June 19.
The rise in cases of the COVID-19 “Nimbus” variant was primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and western Pacific regions, the report also said. /jpv