Bohol’s record of zero Covid-19 case has been shattered, at least based on the Department of Health (DOH) Covid tracker dated May 2, 2020.
Based on the DOH tracker, there are two confirmed positive cases in Bohol. Yet, the provincial governor has asked the DOH regional director to correct the tracker as the tests are inconclusive. The DOH Central Visayas regional director is Dr. Jaime Bernadas.
As a result, Governor Yap said that Bohol can still be considered to be Covid-free, despite the data showing two positive cases for the province.
In a statement coming from the Capitol, it said that based on a conversation between Bernadas and Gov. Arthur Yap, the province is Covid-free as tests conducted on 10 returning OFWs registered negative IgM and IgG scores from a rapid antibody test, while one person had a positive IgG score.
The rapid test is an antibody test that measures the response of the human body to a virus or any other microorganism.
The same Capitol statement said that a rapid test cannot specifically tell whether or not the virus is a Covid. Yet, the rapid test can tell if a patient is undergoing an infectious attack through an IgM score, or if the patient has already recovered from an infectious viral attack, through an IgG score.
In this case, the Capitol added, 10 of those tested had neither an IgG or IgM score meaning they are not having an infection, and the persons have recovered from an infectious attack.
However, the one who registered an IgG score means that he or she previously had been infected and recovered.
The governor, reportedly, was cautious not to make any conclusions on the tracker data because the DOH regional office wanted to make sure about the findings through another round of rapid tests.
“It was explained to me by Dr. Jim Bernadas of DOH region 7 that the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)is considered the gold standard because if taken during the course of an infection, the PCR test can specifically identify the virus attacking a patient’s body. In this case the Covid-19 virus itself. It is also possible that the PCR is registering the remnants of a past infection, that seems to be the case here, according to Director Bernadas,” Yap explained.
Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, spokesman of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on new and emerging diseases, also said that he personally interviewed the two asymptomatic OFWs who tested positive on the PCR, In that interview, the two said that they could not believe they were infected since they recounted that they arrived in Manila from the United States last March 22. The two added that immediately upon arrival in Manila, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) quarantined them at the Red Planet Hotel from March 22 to April 26, or until the day they boarded the 2GO vessel bound for Cebu. They stressed that while they stayed at the Red Planet Hotel in Manila, they never went out of the hotel and remained in the said hotel from the date of their arrival up to the day they had to leave for Cebu. They added that since their arrival in Manila up to the day they left for Cebu and until they arrived in Bohol up to the present, they have always been in good health and have remained asymptomatic, the statement from the capitol said.
As of last night, Yap gave instructions to the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to give all the 48 OFWs who arrived in Bohol, as one group, another PCR test by next week to continuously monitor the entire batch’s condition, as part of the previously set protocol.
Even so, Yap has requested the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense, DOH to temporarily suspend the repatriation program until there can be some clarity to this batch’s findings, and closer coordination between the IATF and the Provincial Government of Bohol can be assured.
“I have sent messages to Sec. Eduardo Ano of the DILG, Covid TF Chief Implementor Sec. Carlito Galvez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Health Secretary Francisco Duque, to temporarily suspend the repatriation program until at least we can make a definitive finding on the condition of this first batch of returning OFWs. I also asked them to make sure that we will be requiring individual and certified negative PCR tests results for each returning OFW, completion of their 14 day quarantine, additional Rapid Tests, as conditions for being accepted home to Bohol.” Yap said.
“I have also asked Director Jim Barnadas to correct the DOH Covid Tracker immediately, as clearly, the tests are inconclusive in establishing any OFW as being Covid Positive to date. I thank him for his positive response to my request which he has conveyed to the DOH Epidemiology Bureau.” Yap added.
THE INTERVIEW
In a telephone interview with the Bohol Tribune last night, Lopez, confirmed the DOH report of the two Covid-19 positive cases but considers such Covid cases as probable due to conflicting results.
Lopez confirmed to the Bohol Tribune that rapid tests were conducted on all OFW residents of Crabhouse hostel. Moreover, the contacts of the persons staying at Crabhouse were tested using the antibody rapid test.
Lopez bared that the rapid test results coming from the laboratory of a local hospital yielded negative outcomes.
With the conflicting results of the PCR test which was conducted last Tuesday and the results of the rapid test that transpired yesterday, the province is not treating the two cases as confirmed, but as probable.
The Bohol Tribune, during the interview asked Lopez if it is true that the PCR test is more accurate than the antibody test. To this question, Lopez answered in the affirmative. The Bohol Tribune, also asked Lopez if it is true that the antibody test is less accurate than the PCR test. This question was again answere by Lopex in the affirmative.
The Bohol Tribune noticed that, in effect, the province used a less accurate test (the antibody test) to disprove the results of a more reliable test (the PCR test).
Just the same, Lopez said, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) is treating the two patients as Covid positive and will observe all protocols in handling such patients.
The spokesman said, further, that another PCR test on all the OFWs who arrived from Manila will happen this coming Tuesday.
THE OVERSIGHT
Last Friday, Lopez announced that all 48 OFWs who are staying at the Crabhouse tested negative as per PCR test that was taken last Tuesday. This was also confirmed in the Facebook post of Dr. Em-em Uy, another member of the TWG.
However, Lopez said, there seemed to be a miscommunication because it turned out that only 46 persons tested negative and the test results of the two persons who tested positive came late as these were released only yesterday.
Lopez admitted there was an oversight on the part of the PHO who was not able to detect that there were only 46 names on the list of negative results. This oversight resulted into the declaration of the PHO that the 48 returning OFWs were all tested negative. This declaration, was also boldly stated by Dr. Uy, as said above, in her Facebook Page post.
Further, Lopez said the local authorities knew about the results yesterday afternoon. Lopez said that they are also aware of the DOH tracker presenting the two Covid positive cases in Bohol.
However, the provincial authorities just allowed the update on the DOH tracker to be known to people since they are focused on conducting the rapid tests aside from the DOH PCR TEST, Lopez said.
Lopez also said that it is true that a DOH official called the governor and relayed the information only yesterday afternoon.
Lopez denied insinuations that there was an effort to cover up the confirmed cases. He said the authorities chose not to react on the development of the DOH release of the tracker presenting two Covid-positive cases as they were waiting for the release of the confirmatory test, which were the rapid tests.
Furthermore, Lopez said the two persons who tested positive are asymptomatic and are in high spirits.
Additionally, Lopez said the DOH officials reportedly were wondering why the two OFWs tested positive.The DOH officials recommended to the PHO that a confirmatory test be conducted, hence the rapid tests were done.
PRIOR ENGAGEMENT
Last Friday, about 25 persons were transferred to an isolation facility, which is a resort in Panglao, a place that has remained to be undisclosed for security reasons, officials said.
The 25 persons were isolated to prevent any possible virus transmission.