MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is now awaiting the delivery of 3,000 test cartridges developed to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The cartridges are seen deliver faster results.
In a virtual press briefing on Monday, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the cartridges developed by US company Cepheid under the label GeneXpert, would be distributed to testing facilities once they arrive.
The cartridges, which are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, will be used along with the test kits developed by the University of the Philippines, she said.
The test is also currently being used to diagnose tuberculosis, she noted
She added that GeneXpert would yield faster results than the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines currently used by the DOH for accurate detection of the disease.
The government will begin its mass testing on Tuesday, April 14, with the entire Luzon still under an enhanced community quarantine as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to increase.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the quarantine, starting on March 17. It was initially set to be lifted on April 13 but was extended until April 30.
As of Monday, the DOH so far confirmed 4,932 COVID-19 cases in the country.
Of the number, 315 have died and 242 have recovered.
/atm