Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH spokesperson, announced 16 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease on March 11, 2020. (Photo by CONSUELO MARQUEZ / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Reports issued by local government units on patients positive for the 2019 coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, do not involve new cases of the fatal disease, the Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson clarified on Wednesday.
“Many are confused whenever the DOH conducts a press conference and after an LGU official also conducts a press conference and gives numbers. The public thinks there are additional cases. That’s not our system,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
She said the DOH would release the latest number of patients admitted in hospitals while the local government units would give information on the patients’ place of residence and other specific data.
“We thought it is best if it would be the LGU that would release specific information on the addresses and the interventions being taken to combat the coronavirus disease in their respective local government units,” Vergeire said, speaking partly in Filipino.
Some LGUs are starting to disinfect their buildings and facilities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Vergeire said, however, that regular cleaning would be enough to stop the spread of the fatal disease, noting that the coronavirus is not an airborne infection but a droplet infection.
Regular household bleach would do, with cleaning maintained for 24 hours, she said.
/atm