MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Chief Implementer of the government’s response against COVID-19 Vince Dizon on Friday asserted that the country can reach 10 million COVID-19 tests by next year.
“Initial na target na nilagay natin ay sampung milyong test by the first quarter 2021. Ngayon nasa anim na milyon na tayo mahigit at on the way tayo sa target na yun,” Dizon, who is also president of the Bases and Conversion Development Authority, said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(The initial target we set was 10 million tests by the first quarter of 2021. Now, we are at six million and we are on the way to hit the target.)
“Para sa 2020, mami-meet natin, tingin ko, ang mga halos seven million test. Pagdating 2021, kampante tayo na maaabot natin at malalampasan pa natin yung target na sampung milyong test by the first quarter of 2021,” he added.
(For 2020, I think we can meet almost seven million tests. By 2021, we are confident that we can reach and go beyond the ten million target test by the first quarter.)
The latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that as of Wednesday, the total number of cumulative samples tested for COVID-19 nationwide has reached 6,353,641.
The target of 10 million tests was initially set by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in July.
As of Thursday, the country has already recorded a total of 454,477 COVID-19 cases, including 25,695 active cases, 419,9022 recoveries, and 8,850 deaths.