With the issuance of the Department of Health (DOH) Central Office of Administrative Memorandum 2020-0013 reclassifying Corona Virus Disease (CoViD-19 Patient Under Investigation (PUI) and Person Under Investigation (PUM) into Suspect, Probable and Confirmed, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) started using the reclassification status this week, Hannah Ebeo, RN, IPHO Health Education & Promotion Officer (HEPO) confirmed recently.
The reclassification took effect last Monday (April 20) and with that, according to HEPO Ebeo, the reporting format will likewise change.
As per DOH AO 2020-0013, Ebeo enumerated the definition of Suspect Case as follows: 1) A patient with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease-e.g. cough, shortness of breath) and a history of travel to or residence in a location reporting community transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom onset, or 2) A patient with any acute respiratory illness and having been contact with a confirmed or probable CoViD-19 case during the lastt14 days prior to symptom onset, or 3) A patient with any acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease-e.g. cough, shortness of breath) and in the absence of alternative diagnosis that fully explains the clinical presentation.
Meanwhile, for Probable Case, Ebeo said the definition is 1) A suspect case for whom testing for CoViD-19 Virus is inconclusive, or 2) a suspect case for whom testing for CoViD-19 Virus cannot be performed for any reason and for Confirmed Case, it is defined as a person with laboratory confirmation of CoViD-19 infection, irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.
HEPO Ebeo heads the Situation Unit of IPHO CoViD-19 Emergency Operation Center and also acts as the IPHO Spokesperson.
