Classifying ‘fresh’ COVID-19 cases only temporary until backlog clears — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — Separating data on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, and classifying them into “fresh” and “late” cases is only a temporary measure until the country’s laboratories have cleared up their data backlogs, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

In an online briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH just wanted to be “transparent,” and it has no intention of confusing the public in setting up the new classifications.

“Ito ay temporary measure, a temporary classification until we can finish all of this na vina-validate na kaso…  Hindi natin sinasadya na maguluhan ang mga tao, gusto lang natin na maging transparent, umayos ‘yung sistema (This is a temporary measure, a temporary classification until we finish validating all cases… It is not our intention to cause confusion among the public. We just want to be transparent, to fix the system),” she said.

Last May 29, the release of COVID-19 updates was delayed due to the changes in classification implemented by the DOH.

The DOH decided to segregate “fresh cases” from “late cases” so as to allay fears that COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, just as Metro Manila was about to shift to less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ).

As of Monday, the total number of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines stood at 18,638, with 552 additional cases.

Of the newly reported cases, 119 are considered “fresh cases” while the remaining 433 are “late cases.”

Fresh cases are determinants

The DOH defines “fresh” cases as those test results that came out and had been validated by its Epidemiology Bureau in the last three days, while “late” cases are test results that came out four days or older, but were only recently validated.

In stressing the importance of segregating the fresh cases, Vergeire explained that this is because the fresh cases are the most likely to transmit the new coronavirus.

The fresh cases are being monitored by the health department closely, she added.

“Importante pa rin na nakikita natin yung timeline ng kaso, especially for these fresh cases, kasi yung fresh cases, sila yung indikasyon natin kung ilan talaga ang numero na pumapasok kada araw (It is important that we also see the timeline of cases, especially for these fresh cases because they are the indications of the real number of COVID-19 cases in the country everyday,” she said.

“Ito ring fresh cases na ito sila ‘yung may probabilidad na mas mataas na magkakaroon ng possibility ng transmission kasi mga bagong kaso sila (The fresh cases also are more likely to transmit the coronavirus since they are fresh cases),” the Health official added.

EDV