MANILA, Philippines — The Makati City government on Thursday said it will be signing a deal with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for the free mass testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) of residents and frontliners in the city starting immediately.
Makati Mayor Abby Binay said persons under monitoring (PUMs) for the coronavirus disease and frontliners will be given priority in the mass testing.
She said that by April 30, their target is to have as much as 2,000 residents and frontliners tested.
“You have to remember the priority of DOH (Department of Health) are those who have (COVID-19) symptoms. So we will be testing, on our part. We will be testing our frontliners who do not have symptoms. We need to make sure that they are not sick,” Binay said in a statement.
For now, Binay said they are sending specimens taken from patients to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa and to the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila for testing.
As of April 15, Wednesday, the Makati Health Department has recorded 204 coronavirus disease cases in the city with 31 recoveries and 23 deaths.