Taguig says 342 COVID cases in Fort Bonifacio include negative results, recovered patients

ROBONURSE / SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
The RoboNurse will bring food and medicine to probable and suspected COVID-19 patients at the newly-inaugurated Lakeshore Hotel Mega Quarantine Facility at Barangay Lower Bicutan, Taguig City. The RoboNurse was developed by Robotics team of Senator Renato “Companero” Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology that aims to help medical frontliner.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The 342 COVID-19 cases in Taguig’s Barangay Fort Bonifacio — as mentioned by OCTA Research in its latest report — included negative test results and patients who have recovered from the disease.

Taguig’s local government clarified on Thursday that the Barangay Fort Bonifacio has only registered 116 COVID-19 cases from March 18 to 24, whereas the excess from OCTA Research’s count also factored in initially positive patients who have tested negative again.

“Taguig’s research team and the City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CEDSU) analyze the same data from the Department of Health. The 342 cases OCTA stated is the total of all types of cases reported by the laboratories during the said period,” the local government said.

“This total includes positive cases that have already recovered, cases that turned out to be negative, presumptive positive cases, equivocal cases, inconclusive cases, and those awaiting results of the tests. If these cases are excluded — as they should be —  Fort Bonifacio, to repeat, will only have 116 COVID-19 cases for the given period,” it added.

The city government also stressed that Fort Bonifacio only has 42 active cases as of now, well below the attack rate that the whole National Capital Region has registered amid the latest surge in COVID-19 cases.

“Today, Fort Bonifacio has only 42 active cases. It has an estimated 100,000 residents. At 42 cases per 100,000 population, the barangay is well below the national count of 83 active cases per 100,000 population, and the National Capital Region number of 158 active cases per 100,000 population,” Taguig said.

“Taguig City’s research team and its CEDSU painstakingly collect, counter-check, verify, and analyze its COVID-19 data based on accepted epidemiologic standards. This data is published in the City’s official website and social media accounts,” it added.

OCTA Research has been providing the country and the government predictions about the COVID-19 trends, using actual numbers from recent weeks.  Last week, OCTA said that the whole country may see 11,000 cases per day if the surge — said to be brought by more infectious COVID-19 variants of concern — is not stopped.

The group also suggested adopting a slightly stricter lockdown, like a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), to stop the rise in COVID-19 cases.

READ: OCTA Research proposes 4-week MECQ to ‘knock out’ COVID-19 surge 

As of now, the country is experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases, with over 99,000 active cases on Thursday.  Department of Health numbers also showed that the country broke — again — the record for single-day increases in infections, with 8,773 new cases.

The previous high was recorded just this Monday, at 8,019 new cases.

READ: PH’s COVID-19 active cases nearing 100,000 as new record-high 8,773 add’l cases logged 

JPV