MANILA, Philippines — About a quarter of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients confined at the Makati Medical Center (MMC) have recovered from the new pathogen, the hospital's management said on Tuesday.
MMC medical director doctor Saturnino Javier confirmed this in a radio interview with radio dzMM that same day.
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According to Javier, the hospital had discharged 29 out of its 103 coronavirus patients—good for 28%—after they tested negative for the disease.
"This isn't a seal of death. Just because you have COVID-19 doesn't mean that's your final death sentence," he said in a mix of Filipino and English.
There are still 35 others in the hospital who tested positive for COVID-19, along with some 50 symptomatic persons under investigation.
The doctor also disclosed that majority of those who recovered were between the ages of 40 and 60 years old.
Though the health department has required its patients to test negative twice before discharging, MMC admitted that patients were sent home after testing negative just once and recovered "based on clinical symptoms." They were also advised to observe strict precautions, such as wearing masks, for 14 days.
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Javier said that patients who were sent home are instead tested for a second time as outpatients.
"We treat them as not completely free of the disease or the virus, so they still need to take extra precautions," the doctor explained.
"If we still waited for two tests to yield negative results, we would no longer be able to admit new patients, and our hospital capacity would only fill up and we wouldn't be able to service patients who need it more," he added.
The Department of Health on Monday reported 128 new coronavirus cases and seven additional deaths while the number of recovered patients remained stationary at 42, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 1,546, while the death toll reached 78.
As of this writing, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines stands at 1,426.
The United Nations has warned the international community that the "whole of humanity" was put at risk by the novel coronavirus, saying millions could day if collective action was not taken. — Franco Luna
If you believe you have come into possible contact with infected patients, you may be directed to the proper office of the Department of Health for advice through the following lines: (632) 8651-7800 local 1149/1150 or (632) 165-364.
You may also opt to call the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine at (02) 8807-2631/ 8807-2632/ 8807-2637.