Related: PH eyes raising COVID-19 testing capacity to 20,000 tests daily
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 13) — The government is confident it will eventually meet its COVID-19 testing target as more and more laboratories are accredited by the Health Department.
Fifteen subnational laboratories can now conduct COVID-19 tests nationwide. The new additions are mostly located in Metro Manila namely: St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global/Quezon City, The Medical City – Pasig, Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Makati Medical City, and V. Luna Hospital.
“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,” Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson Karlo Nograles said on Monday.
The Cabinet Secretary added 28 institutions are undergoing DOH laboratory certification process, while 37 others have expressed intention to be certified.
The national government’s initial target is to be able to increase capacity to 2,600 to 7,000 tests per day after the Holy Week. By April 20, the goal is to conduct 4,400 to 9,800 tests daily. The government hopes to be able to do 13,000 to 20,000 COVID-19 tests per day by April 27.
Nograles said that with the gradual increase in testing capacity, the number of patients that need medical assistance will also rise. He said that the focus has also shifted to ensuring there are adequate quarantine facilities and beds to house suspected, potential, and confirmed cases of COVID-19.
He said there are now 2,673 operational quarantine facilities, with a total of 165,756 beds, nationwide.
Nograles also clarified the earlier pronouncement of COVID-19 response chief implementer Carlito Galvez that mass testing will begin on April 14. He said the government will prioritize testing hospitalized patients with symptoms, high-risk patients, healthcare workers, then other people with flu-like symptoms.
“Hindi magma-mass testing ng walang simtomas. Kapag nalaman na ikaw ay probable due to close contact, then you become eligible. I-isolate ka na namin,” he said.
[Translation: There will be no mass testing for those without symptoms. If you become a probable case because of a close contact to a positive case, then you become eligible for testing. We will then isolate you.]
The Philippines has recorded 4,648 confirmed cases, 297 deaths, and 197 recoveries.
