"Just give us the actual picture, please."
I just can’t understand why the Department of Health has to complicate its presentation of the figures concerning the COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. So many numbers when all the people would want to know is how many are infected, how many have been tested, how many have recovered, how many have died, and maybe how many hospital beds and rooms are still available for any anticipated infections.
If one visits the DOH COVID Tracker site, one would easily get confused not only with the abundance of figures but also with the terminologies used—as if the DOH doesn’t real want us to understand how they are presenting the information. To further complicate matters, some figures are hidden from plain view. In fact, unless you tinker with your computer, you will not be able to discover these figures which are crucial to monitoring the status of the pandemic.
This manner of presentation has prompted Deputy Majority Leader, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, to call on the DOH to explain these figures which the solon claims gives rise to confusion on the exact numbers of COVID-19 cases in the country.
In its, website, Arroyo noted that that the DOH clearly stated that the total active COVID-19 cases in the country as of July 21, stands at 70,764, the active cases at 45,646 as there have been 23,81 recoveries and 1,837 deaths to date.
However, Arroyo said that if you will let the computer cursor hover above the entry for Positivity Rate which stand at 8.6 percent, a figure stating there are already 94,919 positive individuals will appear. And I have personally checked on that to validate Arroyo’s claim.
And what does that figure represent?
“Clearly it states positive individuals and not positive tests,” the lawmaker stressed.
While before the DOH explained that they are reporting a higher number of positive tests, it was due to the fact there were double or multiple tests conducted on some individuals to validate is either they are really positive, negative or have already been cured.
But the caption “positive individuals,” according to the Pampanga solon, would clearly negate the DOH’s explanation.
Also in question is the low recovery rate for COVID-19 patients
Figures cited by the DOH would show the Philippines has one of the lowest recovery rate for COVID-19 patients.
However, the DOH said more than 90 percent of the Covid-19 patients only have mild infection with most of them being asymptomatic. The DOH added that mild cases of COVID-19 infection usually takes two to three weeks at the most to recover.
But at the rate the DOH is presenting the number of recoveries, it seems they are taking one to two months to recover, Arroyo noted.
And this, according to the solon, is taking toll not only on the patient’s personal finances but also on the government funds for as long as the patient has not yet recovered, PhilHealth will have to shoulder a portion of their bills.
According to Arroyo, the DOH has to give the people the true picture of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“Whatever it takes. Even if would tell us we already have already more than 100,000 cases, so be it. It would give the government, most especially the people, in deciding how to deal with the situation,” Arroyo said.
Rightly said. Why does the DOH need to hide the total numbers of COVID-19 patients? We have long braced ourselves for the worst. In fact, admitting the real score might even help in flattening the curve for of it is indeed true were nearing the 100,000 mark, the government or the IATF for that matter, would have to be obliged to put up some drastic measures to help arrest the rise of infection, and that people who have gotten complacent in recent weeks, would have to get serious again in heeding quarantine protocols.
Just give us the real picture.
* * *
I got a call the other night from Camarines Sur-based friend Jerold Peña who relayed to me how frontliners are being treated over at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
According to Jerold, frontliners service at the NKTI were never given any housing facility they could avail of while dealing with the pandemic, so as to avoid possibly infecting their families if they ever catch the virus.
Because of this, Jerold said his friend was forced to share a dormitory with another friend. Unfortunately, the other girl tested positive for the virus forcing Jerold’s friend to vacate the dorm. Lucky for her, a doctor volunteered her condominium unit as no one was using it anyway.
However, when the result of her swab test came out last Wednesday, it came out positive. So, she decided to return to her dormitory and join her flatmate since they were both infected anyway. The sad thing is NKTI cannot provide her any means of transportation. And responsible as she is, she opted not to take public transportation so as not to infect others. In the late of the night, she walked from the condominium unit to her dormitory.
This is no way to treat our new breed of heroes. I hope the IATF can look into this.
I pray that Jerold’s friend and her colleague recover soon. We really need you!