First, the medical centers, particularly in the major cities are not that bad. They would have noticed.
Second, there is enough political fighting that if the administration was attempting to suppress the reporting Duarte’s political enemies in both government and media would have been getting the leaked to both news and social media if the doctors were not doing it themselves.
The only thing that I can think of for the Philippines is that all the infections and deaths were perhaps misidentified as dengue but if that were the case I would think there would have been a bit more about how bad the disease was this year. I’ve not seen that claimed anywhere.
I don’t find that a credible explanation.
First, the medical centers, particularly in the major cities are not that bad. They would have noticed.
Second, there is enough political fighting that if the administration was attempting to suppress the reporting Duarte’s political enemies in both government and media would have been getting the leaked to both news and social media if the doctors were not doing it themselves.
The only thing that I can think of for the Philippines is that all the infections and deaths were perhaps misidentified as dengue but if that were the case I would think there would have been a bit more about how bad the disease was this year. I’ve not seen that claimed anywhere.