Garganera: EOC is working with DOH-7 to harmonize ‘conflicting’ COVID-19 data

CEBU CITY, Philippines –More than four months have passed since cases of the coronavirus disease were first reported in Cebu City.

But to date, there is still conflicting data on the number of cases reported in the city based on the monitoring of the Cebu City government and the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7).

Councilor Joel Garganera said they continue to ‘harmonize’ data gathered by the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with that of the DOH.

“Nagsige na intawon og reklamo atong mga barangay kay kahibaw sila nga gamay nalang ilang active cases,” he said.

(Barangay officials have been complaining because they know that they now have fewer active cases.)

Garganera said that having realistic and accurate data will also aid the city in its ongoing fight against the infection.

But he admitted that discrepancy in the recording of COVID-19 cases cannot be avoided.  This normally results from the double-entry of cases or from the difficulty in determining the patient’s actual address.

There had been instances of cases reported under Cebu City when the patient actually comes from the neighboring locality.  This happens because the patient lives on the border of the two neighboring local government units, Garganera said.

Border confusion normally happens in Barangays Inayawan, Bulacao, Banilad and Talamban.

DOH-7 reported on Thursday, August 6, a total of 2,571 active cases here, but Garganera, who is also the EOC head, said that the city now has a lesser number of active cases if they were to believe their own data.

EOC data from July 25 to August 6, 2020, or in the last 14 days show that the city only has 701 active cases based on their barangay monitoring.

But he could not yet say how much is the actual total of the city’s active cases since they are still in the process of harmonizing their data with that of DOH-7.

Garganera said that they also continue to verify the status of over a thousand active cases of the infection that were reported before July 25.  They wanted to know if these patients were among the listed recoveries or if some of them continue to have the infection.

The process of data harmonization will be over soon, he promised. / dcb