Robredo seeks clarification on COVID-19 ‘fresh cases,’ ‘late cases’ classification

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo is seeking clarification on the Department of Health’s (DOH) new way of announcing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country as “fresh cases” or “late cases.”

In her weekly radio show, Robredo said she “does not understand the logic behind such classification.”

“Pero hindi ko pa ngayon, Ka Ely, maintindihan iyong bagong classification—iyong ‘fresh case’ saka ‘late’. Akala ko noong una, iyong late case, iyon iyong— Kasi ‘di ba inuulit iyong testing? Iyong mga nag-positive na, inuulit. Iyon pala hindi. Hindi pala iyon,” Robredo said as she was speaking to Ely Saludar, her co-anchor in “BISErbisyong LENI.”

“Ito pala, first time din na na-test pero hindi pa na-inform iyong pasyente. So iniisip ko lang, bakit kaya kailangan magkaroon ng ganitong classification? Kasi kapag first na test, parati naman iyang considered na ‘fresh’, ‘di ba? Hindi ko alam kung ano iyong logic doon sa pagbigay ng classification,” the Vice President added.

Saludar said there should be a clarification on the new classification of cases, to which Robredo agreed.

“Oo, nakakalito kung bakit kailangan iyong ganito,” said Robredo.

According to DOH, fresh cases are test results released to a patient within the last three days while late cases are test results released to a patient four days ago or more.

DOH said it would release separate data on fresh COVID-19 infections and on the backlog of cases so that there is no impression that COVID-19 cases are increasing in the country.

/MUF