Binay slams DOH for late announcements of COVID-19 cases

Senator Nancy Binay on Monday hit the Department of Health (DOH) for what she claimed were apparently late announcements of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines.

"Ang nangyayari kasi nauuna 'yung mga Viber groups kaysa doon sa announcement ng DOH and then ang masama pa, parang 'yung isang company na nag-announce, parang nagagalit pa kayo because they're informing the public," Binay told representatives of the Department of Health (DOH) at a Senate hearing.

"I think you also have to... dapat bilisan ninyo 'yung pag-announce, pag-disseminate ng information kasi parang nawawalan ng kumpyansa 'yung public with the way you handle the dissemination of information about the patients," she added.

Binay, sharing her personal fears for her children amid the COVID-19 situation, said that she also got confused about the confirmed cases on Sunday night.

"Yesterday sa social media o sa mga Viber groups, nagkalat na 'yung umiikot na mayroong isang eskwelahan sa BGC na mayroong confirmed (case) na isang parent so kailangan mag-disinfect ng school," she said.

"Sabi ko baka fake news lahat kasi wala pa akong naririnig from DOH na may ganoong case but pagdating noong gabi around 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., there's four confirmed cases pero hindi naman kayo nagbigay ng detalye so hindi alam ngayon kung saan ba galing itong mga ito at kung kasama ba sa apat na ito 'yung kumakalat sa Viber group," she added.

A representative from the DOH Emergency Operation Center for COVID-19 said  health authorities are trying their best to provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding the situation.

"That's why the Secretary has been doing a lot of press briefing everyday, even twice but then everyday there are new cases coming out and we're trying to keep up with all these new information that we get," Dr. Gemma Arellano said.

"It was really too fast. Everyday we try to give out all the information," she added.

On Monday morning, President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order declaring a public health emergency as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines reached 10.

Such declaration will allow the government to control prices of basic commodities and procure medical equipment without the regular bidding process, according to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

Code Red Sub-Level 1 has been raised by the Department of Health after it confirmed the first local transmission case in the Philippines—a 62-year-old male without recent travel abroad. He is in critical condition, according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The wife of the said patient, on the other hand, became the country's sixth confirmed case of COVID-19.

Four new COVID-19 cases were confirmed by the DOH on Sunday, bringing the total in the country to 10.

The samples from all the new confirmed cases were tested on March 7, and results were released on March 8.—AOL, GMA News