PH virus cases pass 6,000th mark, deaths near 400

MANILA, Philippines, — The total number of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country breached the 6,000th mark on Saturday, as the Department of Health (DOH) continued to monitor two communities where it is trying to contain the spread of the virus.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the department had tapped the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) to test persons detained at the Quezon City Jail, where nine inmates and nine members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology were earlier confirmed to have contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the respiratory illness.

“We will test them based on our expanded testing [protocols], isolate them in our quarantine centers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 inside the correctional facility, and conduct contact tracing to monitor and test immediately those who need it,” Vergeire said.

Expanded testing

Under the DOH’s expanded testing protocol, priority is given to the severely ill and those with preexisting ailments. Those with mild symptoms as well as those who are asymptomatic but were exposed to a known case are third and fourth, respectively, on the list of individuals to be tested.

Vergeire said a similar protocol would be applied to Sitio Zapatera in Cebu, which was put under lockdown after 135 cases were recorded there in just a week.

Residents from nearby Sitio Cabantan are also covered by the expanded testing.

“They were placed on lockdown to limit the chance of the virus to spread. That is why we are appealing to the residents to stay in their homes for 14 days. DOH-Central Visayas is working with the local government to ensure strict compliance to our quarantine protocols and that the residents’ needs are attended to,” Vergeire said.

Bello’s sister

As of Saturday, the number of COVID-19 cases across the country totaled 6,087, with the addition of 209 new cases.

Twenty-nine more patients have recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 516. Ten patients succumbed to the disease, pushing the death toll to 397.

Among the latest fatalities is Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III’s sister Catherine, who contracted the virus on March 25.

“She was my favorite. She was about to recover. I don’t know what happened,” Bello said.

PRC test target

Also on Saturday, the PRC said it may be able to conduct 12,000 tests a day in Metro Manila once all its facilities from China are operational.

Sen. Richard Gordon, the PRC chair, said the humanitarian organization hoped to set up a total of eight polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines at its Mandaluyong City office, which is already accredited by the DOH as a testing center for COVID-19.

Four more PCR machines are planned for installation at the PRC’s Manila office next week, Gordon added in a phone interview.

Each machine is capable of conducting 1,500 tests a day, but since the PRC is just starting the operation, the senator said he would be happy to complete 1,000 tests a day, with the results available in 24 to 48 hours.

The 12 machines would be supported by six RNA extraction machines.

“If I get all these machines in order, we can have 12,000 tests theoretically in a day,” Gordon said.

People who wish to be tested may apply for screening by calling 1158, the PRC hotline for COVID-19 concerns.

The tests cost P3,500 each.

The PRC said it already had slots for the first 50 people accepted for screening. They will be tested using materials delivered from China.

New kits

At his press briefing on Saturday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesperson for the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the country had acquired new testing kits that can be used on GeneXpert machines, which have a turnaround time of 45 minutes.

These kits would be used along with the rapid test kits and the PCR tests, Nograles said.

Vergeire said 3,000 units of the GeneXpert kits are expected to be delivered next week, but they would have to be validated first before distribution.

—REPORTS FROM JOVIC YEE, LEILA B. SALAVERRIA AND NIKKA G. VALENZUELA