Current COVID-19 cases may be double than reported, says PHAPI head

The number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 may be twice more than what is reported, the head of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) said Thursday.

PHAPI president Dr. Jose de Grano said this is because of the use of self-administered antigen test kits which could not be included in the official reports released by the Department of Health (DOH).

“Halos magdo-doble pa siguro doon sa nakikita nating data ngayon. Halimbawa, kung 38,000 [active cases], malaki pa ‘yan. Mas marami dahil merong nagte-test sa sarili nila ng antigen at hindi na nare-report ‘yan,” he said on GMA News’ Unang Balita interview.

“Ang nare-report lang po ‘yung pumupunta sa mga accredited nating laboratoryo at sa mga ospital.”

(The cases may be double the data we see now. For example, if there are 38,000 active cases, the real number is bigger. This is because there are people who are testing themselves using antigen and that is not being reported. Only those who go to accredited laboratories and hospitals are being reported.)

Due to this, De Grano advised the public to remain vigilant against the virus, and reiterated his call for them to continue wearing face masks even outdoors.

“Isipin na lang siguro natin ang responsibilidad natin na ma-protektahan hindi lang ating sarili, kundi ang ating mga kasama sa bahay at mga kaibigan na hindi tayo makahawa at mahawa sa COVID ulit,” he said.

(Let’s think about our responsibility to protect not only ourselves, but also our families and friends so that we won’t infect them, and we also don’t get infected with COVID-19 again.)

The DOH on Wednesday registered 1,500 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the active case tally down to 27,553 from 38,315 on Tuesday. —KBK, GMA News