The Department of Health reported that four more laboratories are ready to test samples of suspected coronavirus disease or COVID-19 cases.
In a media briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that these are San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City and the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.
Initially, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa was the only facility that conducts clinical tests on COVID-19.
“Kaya po nilang magproseso ng mahigit kumulang 50 hanggang 300 tests per day. Dahil dito mas mapapabilis na po ang paglabas ng mga resulta ng test,” Vergeire said. The DOH adds that they are also setting up two more subnational laboratories in Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City and Bicol Public Health Laboratory to facilitate the tests.
The University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) will also help in the clinical test as the locally made test kits remain in validation phase.
“Mahalaga po ang pagsecertify ng mga laboratoryong ito at hindi po ito basta-basta. Delikado po ang pagsasagawa ng testing, lalong-lalo na para sa ating laboratory technicians kaya maingat tayo sa pagsecertify ng national laboratories na maaaring magsagawa ng mga ganitong testing,” she explained.
There are now 230 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country with 18 fatalities.
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