By Betheena Unite

A total of 284 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed by the Department of Health Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the Philippines to 4,932 with 45 new recoveries and 18 deaths.

The latest figure brought the total recoveries in the country to 242 while the death toll due to the disease is now at 315.

 The department also said that as of April 12, a total of 35,804 individual tests have been conducted. Of these, 5,187 turned out positive while 30, 585 tested negative for COVID-19.

 Health Undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire explained that there is a disparity in the number of confirmed positive cases compared to the number of tests that turned out positive as validation and processing must still be conducted before confirming a COVID-19 case.

 “Tandaan po natin na ang mga positive cases na naka-admit sa ating mga ospital ay nagkakaroon ng mga repeat tests kapag sila ay na-admit for monitoring, kaya ‘pag tiningnan natin, mas mataas yung nakatala sa laboratories natin na positive cases kaysa sa confirmed cases, dahil ang isang positibong kasong naka-admit sa isang ospital ay maaring magkaroon ng more than one or two tests habang naka-admit sa ospital,” Vergeire said in a virtual press briefing.

(Remember that positive cases admitted in hospitals need to undergo repeat tests for monitoring, so if we look at it, the number of positive cases in the laboratories are higher than the confirmed positive cases because a COVID-19-positive patient admitted in a hospital can undergo more than one or two tests.)

 Progressive mass testing

Once the Philippines is already capable of conducting a total of 8,000 tests per day, a more expanded mass testing covering a larger population will be enforced.

“Sabi natin ang expanded testing is progressive; kapag dumating tayo sa kakayanan ng ating gobyerno and laboratory capacity-wise na nakagagawa ng 8,000 tests per day, isasama na natin lahat ng may exposure, may history of travel na may sintomas,” the undersecretary said.

(We say that the expanded testing is progressive; when we reach 8,000 tests per day that the government and laboratories can handle capacity-wise, we will then include everyone who had exposure, and history of travel with symptoms.)

“It's going to be evolving, it's going to be progressive. Tataas nang tataas ang coverage per day (Coverage per day will keep on increasing) as our capacity for laboratory increases,” she added.

Frontliners who do not exhibit symptoms will also be included in the expanded testing once the country’s laboratories are capable of conducting 8,000 tests a day.

Convalescent plasma therapy

The health department also reported that the Philippine General Hospital is currently the only institution in the country that has expressed an intention to perform convalescent plasma therapy, or the transfusion of blood from a recovered COVID-19 patient to a fellow patient under treatment.

Vergeire clarified that this remains experimental and under investigation.

“Katulad ng ibang investigational therapies, may ilang nauna nang pag-aaral na baka epektibo ito para sa COVID-19, ngunit kailangan pa ng mas malawak na pagsuri dito," she said.

(Like other investigational therapies, there are prior studies saying that this may be an effective treatment for COVID-19, but a more comprehensive study must still be done.)

While the therapy is under investigation, an informed consent from the patient for the convalescent plasma therapy must first be secured. The hospital should also secure a special permit for the conduct of the therapy.

The hospital must also report the result of every transfusion conducted on a patient to the Food and Drug Authority, especially if an adverse effect occurs.

Unclaimed remains

Following the report on the growing concern over unclaimed bodies of patients infected with COVID-19 and hospitals’ capacity to keep the bodies until claimed, the inter-agency task force (IATF) on emerging infectious diseases is expected to come up with a solution to address it.

According to Vergeire, concerned agencies will be tapped to coordinate with local government units in helping hospitals manage the remains that are beyond their capacity to keep.

“Ang naging usapan ng bawat ahensya, at sa tingin ko magkakaroon ng final agreement ngayon sa IATF (What the agencies discussed, and in my view will get the final agreement now of the IATF, is that) -- the local government units, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Metro Manila Development Authority will coordinate with regards to the disposal, transfer, and cremation of COVID patients’ remains,” the health official said.