Eighteen cases of a new variant of COVID-19 have been reported through genome sequencing, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

All 18 cases have recovered, the DOH added.

The JN.1 COVID-19 strain has been classified by the World Health Organization as a ''variant of interest.''

But Rontgene Solante, president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said so far the new variant has not shown signs of ''causing more severe disease.''

The presence of the JN.1 variant comes as COVID-19 cases have been rising recently.

Tony Leachon, a health reform advocate, is recommending for Filipinos for wear face masks for the next two weeks until the COVID-19 cases and influenza-related illnesses subside.

Quoting OCTA Research, the positivity rate in the National Capital Region rose to 22.4 percent on Dec. 21 from 18.4 percent in Dec. 14.

Leachon said the figure ''is bad because the accepted one is less than one percent.'' DMS