The Philippines will be receiving help from Japanese experts to screen potential cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan City, China.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa has no capability to detect the new coronavirus. Hence, confirmatory tests of the 2019-nCoV are currently being sent to an Australian laboratory.
In a press briefing, Duque said that Japan will give a ‘primer’ that can determine the new coronavirus among suspected patients thus eliminating longer waiting time.
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“Tumatagal ang panahon dito sa Australia, e. Sabi ko, kailangan magkaroon tayo ng sariling kakayanan. Tutulong ang Japanese na magbibigay po sa atin nitong primer,” Duque told reporters.
Duque said that in 48 hours, DOH should be able to set up capability to test NCOV.
“No more need to send to Australia for testing,” he said.
“1st round of testing we are adequately supplied: we have to find out volume of supplies brought by Japanese contingent so we can do testing ourselves. This will cut turn around time by 50%,” Duque added.
