DOH so far conducts at least 11,000 COVID-19 tests a day

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) so far has been able to conduct at least 11,000 tests for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a day.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday said the health department was able to conduct 11,127 tests last Friday, May 15. She said this is a “sustained increase” from the 6,634 tests conducted three days before.

“Last week, we averaged 9,600 tests per day with a high of 11,127,” she said.

So far, the DOH has tested over 207,000 individuals for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and has conducted more than 220,000 tests.

It is aiming to conduct at least 30,000 COVID-19 tests a day by the end of May to be able to get a “complete picture” of the pandemic. To date, the Philippines has 29 laboratories capable of testing and detecting the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2.

So far, the Philippines have 12,718 cases of COVID-19, with 2,729 recoveries and 831 fatalities.

The government earlier eased up quarantine protocols in the country despite the relatively low number of tested individuals. DOH has been working towards an “expanded testing” or “targeted testing” although it missed its goal of 8,000 tests per day by the end of April.

Unlike mass testing, “expanded testing” or “targeted testing” intends to broaden the scope of tests to include and prioritize exposed but asymptomatic patients and healthcare workers.

Those who were so far tested for the coronavirus are symptomatic patients, healthcare workers, and probable and suspected COVID-19 patients, or those with known exposure to a COVID-19 patient or a travel history to a location with a reported case of the disease.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier admitted that increasing the country’s testing capacity is hampered by the shortage in supply of equipment and material essential in detecting the coronavirus.