Philippines sees first deaths from Omicron COVID-19 variant

January 19, 2022 - 5:11 PM
3504
Health workers attend to patients at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (The STAR/Walter Bollozos)

MANILA — The Philippines on Wednesday confirmed the first domestic deaths caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The  Department of Health said those who died were elderly patients with existing health issues and had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. —Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty