DOH: 86% of COVID cases ‘mild’

MANILA, Philippines — A majority of the 8,033 “active cases” of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) documented by the Department of Health (DOH) have “mild” symptoms of the respiratory illness, data as of May 8 showed.

Based on the DOH’s Situational Report No. 12 for COVID-19, there was a total of 10,463 confirmed cases of infection in the country. Of this, 8,033 remain “active” while 695 of them have died and 1,734 have recovered.

The DOH said 7,005, or 86.7 percent of the active cases, have manifested mild symptoms while 949 were asymptomatic or not having any symptoms at all.

There were 54 patients with severe conditions or have developed pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. On the other hand, 25 patients were critical or were intubated.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, having many cases with mild manifestations was the primary reason why many patients have recovered from the virus.

Reports revealed that some 55 percent of those who died had pre-existing illness, particularly diabetes and hypertension.

As of May 9, the DOH had recorded a total of 10,610 cases, including 704 deaths and 1,842 recoveries.

Meanwhile, a group of doctors yesterday asked the public to adopt the “new normal” by strictly following “post-quarantine preventive measures.”

In a statement, Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) vice president and infectious disease specialist Mario Panaligan said the key rule to prevent COVID-19 is to have “that mindset to be constantly guarded.”

“Avoid complacency in infection control… Putting it bluntly, treat everybody and everything as potentially infectious,” he noted.

Panaligan added that in this health crisis, being familiar with preventive measures is vital to staying safe.

He said there is no choice but to adapt to these changes and these interventions must continue until the pandemic is over.

“Welcome to the ‘new normal.’ All of us must be ready to adapt to the marked change on how we should behave. Always take care of yourself,” he added.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed innovations around the world including repurposing drugs, traditional medicines and developing new therapies in the search for potential treatments for COVID-19.

According to WHO, it recognizes that traditional, complementary and alternative medicine have many benefits, and Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and practitioners that play an important role in providing care to populations.

“Medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua are being considered as possible treatments for COVID-19 and should be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects,” it said.

The organization underscored that even if therapies are derived from traditional practice, establishing their efficacy and safety through rigorous clinical trials is critical.