Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) — Both the Allegiant Regional Care Hospital in Cebu province and the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Metro Manila joined the list of licensed facilities that can conduct COVID-19 tests.
This brings to 28 the total number of laboratories nationwide accredited by the Department of Health to perform coronavirus testing.
In its latest report, the DOH added that four more laboratories are currently on stage 4 or the proficiency stage of the accreditation process. Another 28 are on stage 3 or the training phase for hospital personnel.
With around two weeks left in May, the government is still 50 facilities short of its goal to operate at least 78 laboratories by the end of the month.
However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier assured that the government has already refocused its efforts to augment the country’s testing capacity.
“One thing we can assure you is we are taking steps to increase our testing capacity, kaya nga po itinalaga si [that’s why the government has appointed] Mr. Vince Dizon as the testing czar,” Roque said in a Monday briefing.
According to DOH, a total of 181,668 COVID-19 tests have been conducted so far, including repeat tests. As of Friday, COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon also claimed that the country can now perform 12,000 tests daily.
The government targets to increase the daily testing capacity to 30,000 by the end of the month.
Nationwide, the DOH has recorded 11,350 confirmed cases of the viral illness, with 2,106 recoveries and 751 deaths.
