Doctor urges patients to be honest with medical and travel history: 'Ngayon lang ako nalungkot at natakot para sa kanila'

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the Philippines, a doctor serving as a frontliner urged the public to be more honest about their medical and travel histories, as well a their symptoms. 

Gino Natividad, an internal medicine resident at World Citi Medical Center, told GMA Public Affairs about how a lot of patients have been lying about their medical and travel histories.

"Natatakot 'ata sila na itaboy sila kapag possible COVID-19 case sila kaya siguro sila nagsisinungaling," said Gino, whose shift now sometimes go up to 34 hours straight. 

"Ang hindi nila alam, mas magandang magsabi ng totoo para sila ay ma-admit o kaya naman ay mabigyan ng tamang advice."

According to Gino, lying about symptoms and their medical and travel histories will only make it harder for medical workers to help the patients.

"Ngayon lang ako nalungkot at natakot para sa kanila sa pagiging doktor ko," said Gino, whose tasks include checking up on patients who have concerns related to internal medicine that are possibly COVID-19 cases.

Six new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Philippines, bringing the total number of infected persons to 193, the Department of Health announced on Wednesday. — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News