MANILA, Philippines — Persons under monitoring (PUMs) will continue to be reported and managed, the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said Thursday.
IATF spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the assurance after the Department of Health (DOH) announced that PUMs are no longer included in the new classification of COVID-19 cases.
“Persons under Monitoring (PUMs) shall still be referred to as PUMs, and shall still be reported and managed accordingly,” Nograles said in a virtual briefing.
“Patients under Investigation (PUIs) with mild, severe, or critical symptoms whose results have not yet been released shall be designated as ‘suspect’ cases. PUIs with inconclusive test results shall be classified as ‘probable’ cases,” Nograles said.
DOH earlier revised its classifications of COVID-19 cases, categorizing patients as either suspect, probable or confirmed cases.
PUMs are those exposed to a known positive case or has a travel history but do not show symptoms of the coronavirus disease. They are required to place themselves under a 14-day home quarantine.