DOH’s Vergeire: Too early to conclude 2 cases in PBA bubble are false positive COVID-19 cases

It is premature to declare that the two cases inside the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) bubble in Clark, Pampanga were false COVID-19 positive, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said more details need to be studied before concluding that these cases involving a PBA referee and a PBA player from Blackwater Elite were indeed false positive COVID-19 ones.

Both the referee and player tested positive for COVID-19 using an RT-PCR (swab test). They were isolated and subsequently tested for COVID-19 using antigen test which yielded negative results. Because they tested negative on antigen, another round of RT-PCR test were performed on them which again yielded negative results, prompting the PBA and Clark Development Corporation authorities to declare them as false positive COVID-19 cases.

“Hinihingi pa natin iyong details noong laboratory para mapag-aralan ng ating mga eksperto. We cannot leave appropriate conclusion at this time because we have not seen all the details para malaman natin kung false positive ba talaga ‘yan o hindi,” Vergeire said in an online forum.

Vergeire said that the antigen test is only reliable for people with COVID-19 symptoms and those close contacts of a COVID-19 positive case based on the conclusions made by the World Health Organization and the Philippines’ Health Technology Assessment Council.

The United States Center for Disease Control defines rapid antigen test as a COVID-19 test conducted using nasopharyngeal or nasal swab specimens and placed directly into a rapid test kit mixed with extraction buffer or reagent to detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, thus implying a current viral infection.

“When it comes to antigen test, it is most accurate sa may sintomas, sa mayroong impeksiyon. Sa first five days of illness, diyan pinaka-accurate ang antigen test,” Vergeire pointed out.

Vergeire also said there could be other reasons why the PBA referee and the PBA player tested negative on antigen after initially testing positive for COVID-19 using RT-PCR test.

“Maaring nung kinunan sila ng antigen test, they did not exhibit symptoms; baka sakaling hindi sila infectious, kaya nag-negative ang antigen,” Vergeire said.

“Pero bago tayo magbigay ng conclusion na false positive, kailangan pinag-aaralan ang lahat ng detalye at dumaan sa proseso, hindi lang basta sasabihin na false positive o false negative,” she added. — RSJ, GMA News