Gov't taps hospitals, clinics to intensify COVID-19 testing

The Department of Health and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 have linked with major hospitals and clinic groups to form a task force to intensify testing of more people as a way or containing the virus.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Task Force T-3 is composed of the AC Health or Qualimed, Metro Pacific Hospitals, Unilab, Philippine Resilience Disaster Foundation and the Philippine Red Cross.

"Sa araw na 'to, pinag-tipon [...] ang malalaking hospitals at clinic groups. Ang partnership na ito ay tinatawag na Task Force T-3 na nangangahulugang Test, Trace, and Treat," she said in a live briefing Friday.

"Layunin ng Task Force T-3 na tulungan ang gobyerno sa kasalukuyang COVID-19 response, lalong-lalo na para maabot ang target para sa pag-test gamit ang RTPCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction)," she added.

The Task Force T-3 is also expected to establish more laboratories across the country or to improve those already in place.

"Ang T-3 ay magtatayo ng laboratories sa iba't ibang parte ng bansa o 'di kaya naman mag-a-upgrade ng mga laboratoryo para marami ang ma-test at maaga lumabas ang resulta," Vergeire said.

According to the undersecretary, the partnership was formed by the DOH and the National Task Force with the help of the Asian Development Bank.

The Philippines on Friday reported 7,192 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 762 recoveries and 477 fatalities. —LDF, GMA News