The Department of Health (DOH) reported 16 more positive coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 49.

DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reported that patients 25 to 28, and patients 30 to 33 are all in stable condition.

Vergeire added patient 29, a known contact of patient 9, is intubated and has underlying cardiovascular and endocrine conditions.

“Sa ngayon, hindi pa po namin masasabi ang nationality ng (For now, we can’t say yet the nationality of the) additional cases. The DOH and deployed surveillance teams are now conducting extensive information-gathering and contact tracing activities on the new cases and we will provide further details as soon as the information is available,” she told a press briefing at the DOH main office in Manila.

Due to the rise of Covid-19 cases in the country, Vergeire said the DOH is looking into ways to address the capacity of public and private hospitals.

“At the meeting, the DOH has recommended to update the policy on how we admit patients, sino dapat umuwi, sino dapat ma-test, sino dapat ma-admit sa (which patients must go home, which patients must be tested, which patients must be admitted in the) hospitals,” she added.

Vergeire said all level 2 and level 3 hospitals are mandated to accept patients under investigation (PUIs).

“About the reports yesterday, it’s not true that our hospitals rejected them (PUIs), and we’re able to get a statement that our hospitals accepted PUIs with mild symptoms. Specimens were taken from them and were allowed to go home since there’s no indication for them to be hospitalized,” she added.

Vergeire noted that they were sent back to the hospital when their test results came out after a few hours. (PNA)