Mobile COVID-19 testing booths rolled out in Cainta, Rizal

Residents of Cainta, Rizal need not to go out of their homes to be tested for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Katrina Son’s 24 Oras report on Monday, the municipal government of Cainta has begun their mass screening for COVID-19 earlier in a bid to curb the spread of the illness.

The local government unit would provide mobile kiosk test booths at the residence of suspected patients.

Those facilitating the test booths would be nurses, medical technologists and Cainta’s chief health officer Dr. Egay Gonzaga.

The LGU rolled out 10 mobile kiosk test booths to rapidly screen suspected COVID-19 cases in the town.

“‘Pag dadalhin ko pa siya (suspected patient) sa covered court, baka sa mismong pagkakataon na ‘yon na sila’y magkasama-sama at may tatlong confirmed doon eh di lalong mahahawa sila so I’m doing it in the privacy of their homes,” Cainta mayor Kit Nieto said.

If the patient would turn out positive, the medical staff would administer a swab test as confirmatory procedure of the earlier blood sample test’s diagnosis.

Those who would be tested positive would undergo immediate isolation, Nieto said.

The mass testing was first conducted at the Greenwoods Subdivision in Barangay San Andres, where most number of confirmed cases in Cainta can be found.

The city health office was able to test 35 suspected patients of COVID-19 earlier, including three positive cases.

However, the LGU clarified that the three who came out positive were already undergoing isolation before the mass testing was conducted.

Nieto said Cainta currently has 5,000 test kits and another 5,000 would be added in case more people need to be tested.

“We’re ordering another 5,000 siguro to make it 10,000 para just in case DOH comes up with an instruction to us or directive to do a mass testing sa a particular area, kumpleto gamit namin assuming na ‘di nila maibibigay ‘yong gadgets,” the mayor said.

Nieto also said the LGU has prepared a quarantine facility that can house up to 50 patients.

Cainta currently has 65 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with nine fatalities and eight recoveries.

Nationwide, the number of COVID-19 cases reached 6,459, including 428 deaths and 613 recoveries as of Monday. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News