LOOK: How RITM perform COVID-19 testing
The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), one of the COVID-19 testing centers in the country, explained the process of diagnosing the coronavirus disease in an infographic.
According to RITM, they “strictly follow” the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in testing COVID-19. It said, “Our laboratories conform to global biosafety standards, where every test is performed by highly-trained laboratory scientists and regularly calibrated equipment.”
The health research facility also said that it is using an “in-house” developed test.
“This means that RITM bought the reagents and enzymes, and primers and probes, individually; and assembled the test recommended by WHO,” it clarified.
RITM follows an eight-step procedure in testing the coronavirus disease.
1. Receiving. Samples received are assessed if it follows the appropriate collection, handling, and transport criteria. These should come with a properly accomplished Case Investigation Form and Laboratory Request Form.
2. Encoding. Samples are encoded in the Laboratory Information System and in the sample monitoring program. It will then be forwarded to the Special Pathogens Laboratory (SPL), a Biosafety Level 2+ facility.
3. Extraction. A) Specimen Inactivation: Once delivered to SPL, the virus is inactivated - removing the ability of the virus to infect. B) Extraction of RNA and DNA: It is then passed to the Molecular Biology Laboratory (MBL). MBL extracts the Nucleic Acid from the sample.
4. Reagent Preparation. Correct the concentration of enzymes, primers, and probes are prepared for initial screening.
5. Screening Test. The screening test will determine if there is the presence of known coronavirus in the samples. To date, there are only six known coronaviruses that can infect humans including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.
6. Confirmatory Test. If the sample is positive in the screening test, it will then be subjected to confirmatory testing. Steps 5 and 6 use positive and negative controls to ensure the accuracy of results.
7. Validating. After the screening and confirming tests, the sample undergoes validation for accurate results.
8. Releasing. The results are released to RESUs who is in charge of releasing it to hospitals.
The Department of Health also uploaded a video that shows the process of COVID-19 testing according to RITM.
Watch the video here:
DOH confirmed 1,546 cases, 78 deaths, and 42 recoveries as of March 30.
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