The country’s total number of recoveries from COVID-19 has already surpassed the 112,000-mark after the Department of Health (DOH) announced over 40,000 new recoveries on Sunday, August 16.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the Philippine’s tally on recoveries now stands at 112,586 with 40,397 new patients who have overcome the dreaded illness. 

This was the country’s highest single-day spike in recoveries as it  topped the previous record of 38,075 last  July 30.

The DOH announced last Friday that it would make again an announcement of “time-based tagging of recoveries” as part of Its “Oplan Recovery.” This only involves mild and asymptomatic cases.

Patients who have completed 14 days of  quarantine without developing symptoms are tagged as recovered.

“Upon assessment of a licensed physician, the patient can be tagged as recovered after completion of 14 days isolation period,” the DOH then said last July as it explained the Oplan Recovery.

This recovery protocol is followed by the United States of America, Europe, and India, the DOH said. 

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country soared to 161,253, with 3,420 new infections.

In addition, Vergeire also reported 65 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 2,665. 

Metro Manila recorded the most number of new cases, with 2,091, followed by Laguna with 263, Cavite with 149, Batangas with 137, and Rizal with 106 more cases.

Hospitals cannot refuse patients

In a related development, the DOH reiterated anew that hospitals cannot reject patients who are in need of medical attention. 

“There is a law which specifically states, itong mga sinabi ko na kapag emergency situation, they have to check the patients, stabilize them and if they cannot take-in the patient, they have to find another hospital for the patient to transfer,” said Vergeire in a separate media briefing. 

“You cannot just reject patients ng ganyan and then, ayan katulad niyan nagkakaroon ng mga bad outcomes. Kailangan sumunod ang mga ospital sa mga protocols ,” she added. 

Vergeire said that hospitals may face sanctions if they were found to have rejected a patient.  

“Pwede 'ho natin silang kasuhan at pwede nating i-revoke ang kanilang lisensya as a hospital kapag they would be found liable dito po sa mga nangyayaring ito ,” she said. 

“Yung general public natin, kung makaka-experience po kayo ng ganito , please report to DOH at once the names of the hospital, so that we can sanction them,” she added.