Philippines starts mass testing for coronavirus

MANILA (Manila Times) – The Philippine government started mass testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on Tuesday, with an initial target of 3,000

tests a day.

First in line are the elderly, pregnant, people with “comorbidities” or illnesses that are susceptible to COVID-19, and health workers with Covid symptoms, Health Under- secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing on Monday.

“We said the expanded testing is progressive. When the point where 8,000 tests are done daily is reached, we will include all those who had exposure, all with history of travel who have symptoms,” Vergeire said.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesman for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said with the opening of more testing centres, “we are now in a better position to reach our target of 3,000 tests per day. Then, eventually, 8,000 to 10,000 tests per day.”

As of Sunday, 33,814 individuals had been tested for Covid-19, Nograles said.

Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr, the chief implementer of the government’s Covid response, said 15 facilities were designated as testing centres.

The newest additions are St Luke’s in Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City, the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City, The Medical City in Pasig City, the Makati Medical Center, and the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Nograles said.

Twenty-eight more medical institutions are undergoing certification by the Department of Health (DoH), and 37 others “have expressed their intention to be certified as testing centres,” he said.

“Because of these developments, the DoH says we are now in a better position to reach our target of 3,000 tests per day. Then eventually, 8,000 to 10,000 tests per day,” he said.

The country has 2,673 quarantine facilities with a combined bed capacity of 165,756, according to Galvez.