DOH’s Vergeire: Symptomatic persons to be prioritized in possible COVID-19 mass testing this month

A triage will still likely be followed if the government rolls out mass testing of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases this month, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

"Ang mass testing po na sinasabi natin ay hindi lahat ng tao sa ating bansa. Ito po ay magkakaroon din ng protocol. Kung sakaling itutuloy nga po ito, 'yung mga may sintomas ang uunahin natin na i-test natin," Vergeire said in a virtual press briefing Friday.

"Kung sakaling magpositibo, ilalagay natin sa community quarantine facility. That was the plan and that is the plan," she added.

Vergeire said members of the inter-agency body handling the COVID-19 response are expected to discuss the nitty-gritty of mass testing in a meeting later.

On Thursday, Secretary Carlito Galvez, who serves as chief implementer of the national action policy against COVID-19, said that the government is looking to start mass testing persons suspected of having COVID-19 on April 14

The Rizal Complex, World Trade Center, and the Philippine International Convention Center currently being converted to be treatment and monitoring facilities for COVID-19 patients.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Philippines has recorded a total of 2,633 cases of COVID-19, with 107 deaths and 51 recoveries.

According to DOH's online tracker, there are currently 1,154 persons under investigation and 6,321 persons under monitoring.

The number of persons who have undergone COVID-19 tests, so far, is 4,726. — RSJ, GMA News