RITM’s virus testing backlog can be resolved this week, says task force

MANILA, Philippines — The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) is eyeing to resolve its coronavirus disesse 2019 (COVID-19) testing backlogs by Friday, April 24, National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday.

Galvez said the RITM is working with the Philippine Red Cross to address the backlog caused by the scaling down of its operations due to staff placed under quarantine.

“Meron silang tinatawag na nakaquarantine na mga tao, baka magkaroon ng tinatawag na backlog,” Galvez said in an interview on dzMM.

(They have people who are under quarantine, there’s a possibility of a backlog.)

“So ang ginawa ngayon nagtulungan sila ng Red Cross na ayusin yung backlog. So most probably, by April 24, wala na po yung backlog. Ongoing pa rin [ang pagprocess], hindi po tumigil,” he added.

(What they are doing now is working with the Red Cross in addressing the backlogs. Most probably, by April 24, there backlog  is gone.  The processing continues, it has not stopped.)

RITM chief Celia Carlos said 43 of its employees tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Decontamination of its facilities are underway, she assured.

Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles assured that backlogs in terms of testing will be addressed by the subnational laboratories.

“The backlog will be resolved through the 17 subnational laboratories that are operating right now,” Nograles said in an online press conference.

He added that an expanded testing drive will be conducted in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Magkakaroon tayo ng mas malawak na testing especially sa NCR. In fact today, Tuesday, magkaroon ng inauguration doon sa Philippine Red Cross para to show to the public that we are increasing our testing capacities,” he said.

(We will conduct more tests, especially in NCR. In fact today, Tuesday, we will have an inauguration of the Philippine Red Cross to show the public that we are increasing our testing capacities.)

As of Friday last week, health officials said there are 766 health workers who have contracted the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Monday is at 6,459 with 428 fatalities and 613 recoveries.

GSG