DOH changes COVID-19 reporting method after highest single-day jump of 539

The Department of Health has changed the way it reports the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country a day after it reported the highest single-day jump of 539.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH would now also report the breakdown of the new cases being reported for the day -- the number of newly validated confirmed cases and those which have been delayed.

"Simula ngayong araw na ito, mag-iiba na po ng paraan ng pag re-report ng ating mga kaso," Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

"Simula po ngayon ay hahatiin po namin ang mga numero upang ipakita kung alin sa mga numero na ito ay fresh or newly validated case sa araw at ilan ang na late or delayed lamang," she added.

As regards the highest single-day number of new cases reported, Vergeire said only 109 out of the 539 reported were "fresh cases" or those confirmed over the past three days before Thursday.

The rest, she said, were delayed reports.

Some of the 17 deaths mentioned on Thursday were also delayed reports.

"[B]atid po namin na ang pagiging teknikal ng mga numerong ating ipinalalabas ay isa sa mga dahilan ng hindi pagkakaunawaan na paminsan pa'y maaring magdulot ng takot at pangamba na baka muli na naman tayong bumalik sa ECQ," she said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night said that Metro Manila will be placed under general community quarantine starting June 1.

Vergeire said that the decision to ease into a general community quarantine was affected by many factors, including the number of deaths, the case doubling time, and the critical utilization rate.

"Kung pababa ang number of deaths, mas mahaba ang case doubling time, at mababa ang ating critical care utilization rate, mas gumaganda po ang sitwasyon ng ating bansa," she said.

Vergeire said that the case bulletin for Friday will be released at 8 p.m. -NB, GMA News