The Department of Health (DOH) has explained anew the reason behind the late reporting of confirmed COVID-19 case in the country.
DOH data showed that 2,113 cases from the additional reported cases on September 30 tested positive from September 17 to 30.
A total of 172 are considered late reports from September 1 to 16, 89 for the month of August, 39 for the month of July, and at least one to five cases from March to June.
“Ang usual reason kung bakit biglang nagkakaroon ng ganyang mga paisa-isa na mga late reports would be the misdeclaration ng mga onset of symptoms ng mga pasyente…na ‘pag vinalidate, turned out na ‘yun palang onset eh months ago pa (The usual reason on late reports would be the misdeclaration of onset of symptoms by the patients, which when validated turn out to be months ago),” DOH USec. Maria Rosario Vergeire explained.
The DOH added that late cases should still be corrected to prevent implications on the data analysis in case such errors become more frequent. Late case reporting cannot be fully avoided since there are thousands of disease reporting units.
The DOH assured that it is continuously improving its system to provide complete and more accurate data.
“Hopefully in the coming weeks, mawawala at talagang hindi na tayo makakakita nito. Pero lagi naman natin sinasabi na wala naman tayong 100 percent na information system (Hopefully in the coming weeks, we will no longer experience this. But we always say that there is no 100 percent information system),” Vergeire stated.
As of October 1, there are 314,079 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 254,223 recoveries, and 5,562 fatalities nationwide. – Report from Mark Fetalco
