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Positive COVID-19 antigen tests now included in PH case count— Palace

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A medical technologist extracts samples from a patient at the San Joaquin Elementary School in Pasig City on July 2, 2021. As part of the city’s 448th anniversary, 500 teachers and non-teaching personnel are scheduled to receive Friday free annual physical exams which include laboratory tests, x-rays, and antigen swab tests. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/07/02/20210702-araw-ng-pasig-anniv-health-program-gc-1199.jpg"/><figcaption>A medical technologist extracts samples from a patient at the San Joaquin Elementary School in Pasig City on July 2, 2021. As part of the city’s 448th anniversary, 500 teachers and non-teaching personnel are scheduled to receive Friday free annual physical exams which include laboratory tests, x-rays, and antigen swab tests. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA— The number of those who tested positive for COVID-19 through rapid antigen tests would now be included in the Philippines&#x27; case total, Malacañang said on Friday, as the country continued to battle a spike in infections most likely driven by the Delta variant.</p><p>In a public briefing, Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said the decision was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 to see the bigger picture on the country&#x27;s pandemic situation. </p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yan po ang ating objective para maging mabuti ang picture natin, kung ilan ang total cases natin pero siyempre &#x27;yung mga positibo, subject pa rin &#x27;yan for confirmatory tests,&quot; Roque explained. </p><p>(That is our objective: to get a better picture of our COVID-19 cases, but of course, those who tested positive for it is subject for confirmatory tests.)</p><p>&quot;May kinalaman pa rin ito para mapabuti ang reporting ng COVID-19 cases.&quot;</p><p>(This is still related to improving our reporting of COVID-19 cases.) </p><p>Roque emphasized that local health authorities, which includes the regional IATF and the Department of Health&#x27;s (DOH) Center for Health Development, would monitor the allocation and the use of antigen kits.</p><p>They must ensure that the antigen line tests are consolidated by health facilities, localities, as well as temporary treatment and monitoring facilities. </p><p>&quot;Kaugnay nito, ang [DOH], NCR Center for Health Development ay inatasang mag-facilitate ng registration ng facilities na gumagamit ng rapid antigen kits,&quot; he noted.</p><p>(In relation to this, the DOH, NCR CHD were told to facilitate the registration of facilities who are using rapid antigen kits)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/20/21/doh-discourages-antigen-tests-during-candidacy-filing">Antigen test not recommended to determine health status of COC participants - DOH</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Augmentation of disease surveillance staff and encoders are considered to ensure that line lists are generated and submitted on a daily basis.&quot;</p><p>Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire last week cautioned the use of rapid antigen tests in COVID-19 reporting, as some supposedly were not used in line of protocol. </p><p>The health official also pointed out that out of the 10,000 reports they had from antigen tests, only 3,000 fell into their criteria and were &quot;used properly.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Among reports that we are getting right now, bina-validate pa rin po namin &#x27;yan pagdating sa rapid antigen tests, mayroon pong specific purpose [ito] at kapag ginamit natin &#x27;yan outside of that purpose, mayroon na pong question sa accuracy nitong nakukuha nilang testing result,&quot; Vergeire earlier explained in a public briefing.</p><p>(We are still validating the reports from rapid antigen tests. This has a specific purpose, and when you use it outside that purpose, the accuracy will be put in question.)</p><p>Despite this, however, she said that localities using antigen screening should consider individuals positive for it as a COVID-19 carrier already, and that they should be quarantined. </p><p>The DOH had also said that that antigen test was mostly effective for people who already have symptoms, specifically within the first 5 days of their onset. </p><p>This is because the viral load of the patient is at the highest level during this time, the agency added.</p><p>To date, the country&#x27;s COVID-19 testing remains limited, as earlier admitted by National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1781384" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar"><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div><div> </div><div class="infogram-embed" data-id="_/XwlOyN6W2yUc4AnE9xPq" data-title="COVID-19 cases - 1" data-type="interactive"> </div><div><script type="text/javascript">!function(e,i,n,s){var t='InfogramEmbeds',d=e.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement('script');o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src='https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js',d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,'infogram-async');</script></div>

 The number of those who tested positive for COVID-19 through rapid antigen tests would now be included in the Philippines' case total, Malacañang said on Friday, as the country continued to battle a spike of infections most likely driven by the Delta variant.

Positive COVID-19 antigen tests now included in PH case count— Palace

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Positive COVID-19 antigen tests now included in PH case count— Palace

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 24, 2021 01:46 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 24, 2021 02:04 PM PHT

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