By Robina Asido

The Department of Health (DOH) confirms community transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region (NCR).

"We are seeing community transmission of the Omicron variant here in NCR. ''Although our whole genome sequencing was not able to cope up, we already have determine that there are local cases already," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing on Saturday.

"On the trend that we see now, these are really the characteristics of the Omicron variant, the fast spread and the very stiff rise in the number of cases. As days pass the doubling time of every two days is too fast and these are all characteristics of the Omicron variant," she added.

Vergiere she noted the possibility of seeing COVID-19 cases peaking by February.

''COVID-19 cases doubled every two days but now the doubling time was lengthened to four days. The NCR now has 149,000 active cases," he said.

Vergeire said the peak of COVID-19 cases ''may happen at the end of the month or even about the second week of February and we see the possibility that the number of active cases may double compared today by that time of February 15," she added.

Vergiere also noted the possibility that the Omicron variant will become dominant as the characteristic of the increase of cases in Metro Manila was also seen in the other regions.

"As to the other region, we see that the number of cases are also increasing. We see in the other regions the same characteristic that happened in NCR when the cases began to increase. We see that there is a possibility that the Omicron variant will become dominant variant here in the country if these kind of transmissions will continue," she said. DMS