Vice President Leni Robredo called out the Department of Health (DOH) for releasing insufficient and confusing data on the real number of COVID-19 positive cases every day.
She made the call after the social media card released by the DOH on Monday showed two separate figures—one for “new cases” and another one for “total positive cases” for the day.
The DOH’s social media card pointed to the 8,019 total new cases but below that, in a much larger font, was the figure for positive cases on Monday tallying to 4,571 out of 30,637 tests done. The DOH data said the data was based on the figures collected until 12 noon of Sunday, March 21.
In a Facebook post Monday night, Robredo said the Health department has an “explanation” for this. The 8,019 positive cases included those that have not been reported in previous days.
“Suggestion lang, sana yung soccard ilabas pag kumpleto na data para hindi confusing (Just a suggestion, we hope the soccard will be released once the data is complete so it is not confusing),” she asked.
The vice president pointed out it would be “better” to come out with one set of data every day.
Robredo also asked the government to “dramatically increase (the) number of tests per day and do massive testing in areas where transmission is high.”
This after she noted that the 30,000 to 40,000 tests the government is doing now “were our targets when our number of cases were much lower” and not when the country is in the middle of a surge.
Robredo also emphasized the need for “contact tracing within 24 hours,” so that “isolation can immediately be done.”
“If we don’t do this, the number of cases will continue to rise and baka hindi kayanin ng health care system natin (our health care system will not be able to withstand),” she added.
The vice president shared that hospitals are already in full capacity after receiving calls and messages from people who need hospitalization but could not find a hospital that can accommodate them.
“Sobrang hirap na maghanap ng hospital na may bakante pa. Kaya, kung hindi lang naman kailangan lumabas, sa bahay na lang muna tayo. Malaking tulong na ito (It is very difficult to find a hospital with a vacancy. If you don’t need to go out, let’s just stay in our homes. This will be a big help already),” Robredo said.