DOH hires additional lab encoders to address backlogs on release of COVID-19 results

The Department of Health (DOH) has hired additional laboratory encoders to address the backlogs on releasing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test results, according to an official on Thursday.

"Ginawa namin kagabi nakapag-mobilize kami ng maraming mag-eencode para lang mahabol itong encoding," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at a virtual conference.

She explained that some samples have already been tested but the bottleneck comes in the encoding part.

"Hopefully, maipasok natin doon sa ating accomplishment itong mga tapos na na test but has not been encoded yet kaya hindi pa nare-release ang resulta," she added.

On Wednesday, Vergeire said 89,021 people have been tested for COVID-19 as of April 28— 88.44% of whom tested negative while 11.39% were positive.

She explained that the figures posted on DOH's online tracker on the number of confirmed cases and that of those who tested positive still have disparities because of the validation process.

"Mayroon tayong hinahabol na [case investigation] forms. Kasi ang problema natin sa forms na 'yan coming from LGUs, they do not complete it. Minsan pangalan lang, walang address, walang age,"  Vergeire said.

"We need to complete it bago makapasok sa system natin so that is what our encoders are doing right now," she added.

The Philippines has a total of 19 accredited facilities that are able to process a minimum of 2,895 and a maximum of 6,420 tests daily, according to the DOH.

While the DOH missed its target of reaching the 8,000 tests daily by April 30, Vergeire said that the opening of a laboratory in Pampanga in May is expected to boost the current testing capacity to 9,500 tests per day. 

As of April 29, the Philippines recorded a total of 8,212 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 558 deaths and 1,023 recoveries. — RSJ, GMA News