By NewsDesk @bactiman63
COVID-19 cases
The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday reported an additional 1796 COVID-19 cases across the country, bringing the pandemic total to 380,729.
Rizal and Davao City saw the most confirmed cases with 97 and 93, respectively.
The number COVID-19 related deaths has risen to 7221.
DOH reporting
The DOH recently enhanced the format of the COVID-19 case bulletins to make it simple, compact, and easy to understand. The communications messages also prioritize relevant information, and call for action to guide the public on how to avoid and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, these iterations in the reporting of case bulletins aim to maintain transparency in reporting the data. Through the information that the DOH will communicate, the public will be more informed and empowered as they conduct their daily affairs, instead of succumbing to fear, panic, and anxiety during the health crisis.
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“Through the enhanced reporting of our case bulletins, we hope to equip the public by updating them with data that not only has integrity, but also easy to understand,” said Usec. Singh-Vergeire.
One of the revisions included in the reporting of case bulletins include enhancing the content by emphasizing the most sought for information, such as reporting in percentages to create a more convenient way of informing the public on the numbers of cases and recoveries.
Another enhancement is making data visualization more digestible and user-friendly. It compresses the social media cards into a single, mobile-friendly bulletin which is then targeted to the larger portion of the public who are mostly smartphone users.
Additionally, design enhancements on the case bulletins also include refinement of color palette and design elements to lessen the strain in viewing complex information. The vernacular is also used to make the data more accessible and relatable to all readers.
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Under the new layout, the statistics included in the previous format of the case bulletin such as the case percentages (recoveries, active cases, and deaths), positivity rate, top geographic locations with new cases are all still included in the new format but now uses the Filipino language to make it more understandable to the public and help in conveying the intended message.
Manila COVID-19 facilities
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Saturday reported the completion of four coronavirus disease (COVID-19) facilities with over 300 beds in Metro Manila.
DPWH Secretary and isolation czar Mark Villar said the medical healthcare facilities for COVID-19 patients and healthcare professionals are in the cities of Parañaque, Makati, and Marikina and the Municipality of Pateros.
“As part of the DPWH’s initiative in assisting the ongoing battle against COID-19 pandemic, we are making sure to efficiently provide patients and our medical professionals such facilities with this project completed earlier than the target date,” Villar said in a statement.
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Philippines basketball to resume
The Philippine Basketball Association has announced that it will resume its games on Tuesday and will impose new protocols recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
The league said it is committed to comply with the latest recommendation of the IATF noting that the health and safety of the 350 participants in the PBA bubble remains its top priority.
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The IATF’s recommended protocols are as follows:
-Completion of 10-day isolation of Blackwater player from the date of swabbing before resuming the games.
– Completion of 14-day quarantine and testing before entering the bubble for all those who will test positive moving forward; and
– The appointment of an independent marshall, who shall oversee and ensure compliance with health and safety protocols, as recommended by the DILG.
As an additional safety measure and in coordination with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), the PBA will be assigned a separate temporary quarantine facility within the Clark Freeport Zone.
These additional protocols from health experts are put in place to ensure the integrity of the bubble.
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“We would like to reiterate that the PBA bubble has not been breached but we must always strengthen our protocols in consultation with the IATF and NTF to ensure the safety of everyone in the bubble,” the PBA said in a statement.
