A retrospective cohort study examined the proportion of patients admitted for COVID-19-related symptoms versus those admitted for other reasons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Data were collected from a "COVID-19 dashboard" between March 26 and June 6, 2020. During the lockdown, 92 hospitalized patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, with 4.3% admitted for non-COVID-19 reasons. After the lockdown, the number of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients increased to 128, with 20.3% admitted for non-COVID-19 reasons. The study found a significant increase in incidental positive cases after the lockdown, highlighting the need for accurate data collection and coding to distinguish between patients with COVID-19-related symptoms and asymptomatic carriers. The study emphasizes the importance of data integrity in public health interventions, especially during a pandemic. The lack of standardized methods for collecting and reporting COVID-19 data has led to concerns about the reliability of published data. The researchers suggest that using specific ICD-10 codes for diagnosing COVID-19 and distinguishing between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases is crucial for accurate data collection and analysis. They also note that up to 30% of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients may be asymptomatic, making it essential to clearly differentiate incidental cases from symptomatic ones. The study's findings highlight the challenges in accurately tracking and reporting COVID-19 cases, particularly in the absence of standardized data collection methods. The researchers recommend improving data collection practices to ensure the reliability of public health data and to support effective interventions. The study also underscores the need for clear definitions of disease states and outcomes to strengthen public health responses to the pandemic.A retrospective cohort study examined the proportion of patients admitted for COVID-19-related symptoms versus those admitted for other reasons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Data were collected from a "COVID-19 dashboard" between March 26 and June 6, 2020. During the lockdown, 92 hospitalized patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, with 4.3% admitted for non-COVID-19 reasons. After the lockdown, the number of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients increased to 128, with 20.3% admitted for non-COVID-19 reasons. The study found a significant increase in incidental positive cases after the lockdown, highlighting the need for accurate data collection and coding to distinguish between patients with COVID-19-related symptoms and asymptomatic carriers. The study emphasizes the importance of data integrity in public health interventions, especially during a pandemic. The lack of standardized methods for collecting and reporting COVID-19 data has led to concerns about the reliability of published data. The researchers suggest that using specific ICD-10 codes for diagnosing COVID-19 and distinguishing between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases is crucial for accurate data collection and analysis. They also note that up to 30% of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients may be asymptomatic, making it essential to clearly differentiate incidental cases from symptomatic ones. The study's findings highlight the challenges in accurately tracking and reporting COVID-19 cases, particularly in the absence of standardized data collection methods. The researchers recommend improving data collection practices to ensure the reliability of public health data and to support effective interventions. The study also underscores the need for clear definitions of disease states and outcomes to strengthen public health responses to the pandemic.