Singapore donates 40,000 test kits to the Philippines

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MANILA - Singapore donated 40,000 test kits to the Philippines to support the country's fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has sent governments and citizens around the world reeling.

In a statement Saturday, the Singaporean Embassy in Manila said 40,000 of COVID-19 diagnostic test kits and two ventilators from the Temasek Foundation were sent to the Philippines.

The medical equipment were received by Singapore Ambassador Gerard Ho and Philippine Presidential Assistant for Foreign Affairs Robert Borje at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

"These additional test kits will supplement Singapore’s earlier donation to allow more people to have an early diagnosis, while the ventilators will be crucial for the survival of severe COVID-19 cases," the embassy said.

Singapore said it "will continue to work on ways in which we can contribute to the Philippines’ effort to contain and defeat COVID-19."

As of Saturday, the Philippines has logged 1,075 COVID-19 cases, 68 of whom died and 35 others recovered.

Like other countries, the Philippines is under shortage of COVID-19 diagnostic kits due to lack of funds and resources to accumulate them.