DOH warns against fake news on escaped COVID-19 patients

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday appealed to the public to be very careful in sharing claims that there had been coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who fled from hospitals.

"Nakikiusap po kami sa ating sambayanan, nakikiusap kami sa ating mga media practitioner sana po i-verify ninyo muna po sa amin 'yang mga tumatakas na pasyente because it's really scaring our community," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.

Citing an alleged incident of such in General Trias, Cavite, she said the DOH made an investigation and found out that it was not true.

"Noong chineck po namin sa data 'yung specific name noong tao, wala po kaming ganoon sa listahan namin kaya agad-agad po kaming nagpalabas that that was fake news," Vergeire said.

The health official said the DOH will also verify the reported case of a COVID-19 patient who escaped from a hospital in Quezon City.

In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the local government should know the present whereabouts of the said missing patient.

"'Yung Quezon City government dapat tutukan 'yan at siguraduhin kung ilang taon na ba 'yung pasyente na yan at ano ang kaniyang health profile," he said.

"Dapat yung kanilang local surveillance officers hanapin 'yan para at least hindi makapagkalat [ng sakit]. At least makausap na kung nasaan man siya dapat hindi siya lumalabas at naglalakad dahil posibleng lalong lumala 'yung kaniyang sakit," he added.

The local health officers should have a directory of COVID-19 patients in their areas to easily monitor their health conditions even after getting discharged from hospitals, Duque said.

The Philippines has recorded 217 cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday afternoon, 17 of which resulted in deaths. Eight patients, meanwhile, recovered from the respiratory illness. — RSJ, GMA News