TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government’s COVID-19 task force explained the reason why it changed the way it presented the data of its coronavirus counter, especially those categorized under people that are under monitoring (ODP) and patients under monitoring (PDP).

“The new reporting model no longer includes people who were once ODP or PDP that have now recovered,” said the COVID-19 task force spokesperson Achmad Yurianto on May 18.

His statement comes after the government adjusted how they presented the public data regarding COVID-19 cases, which used to present an accumulation of ODP and PDP cases.

Prior to this adjustment, those who are under monitoring but have yet shown symptoms of infection, or ODP, amounted to 270,876 up to May 17. The number of ODPs is now 45,047 following the adjustment.

Meanwhile, patients showing symptoms of COVID-19 but have yet to be confirmed by tests, or PDP, accumulated to 35,800 before its new adjustment showing 11,422 PDPs. Once PDP cases have been confirmed by test results, they will then be added to the number of positive COVID-19 cases.

Deceased patients or those who eventually pass away before lab results were produced will not be filed under PDP cases. “Those that have tested negative and recovered and the deceased are not considered as a COVID-19 case,” Achmad Yurianto added.

M ROSSENO AJI