Test results on Senate employees found with COVID-19 need validation -DOH

The 18 Senate employees who tested positive for COVID-19 using rapid anti-body test on Monday should be tested again with Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) to confirm whether they are indeed infected, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

“Hindi po standalone test ang rapid anti-body test. Kailangan po ma-validate po ito ng RT-PCR test,” Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual presser.

“Saan po ba sila nag-positive? Sa IgM o sa IgG?,” Vergeire added, referring to anti-body isotopes.

Vergeire earlier said that testing positive for IgM is a sign of active infection while having IgG indicates that a person has recently recovered.

Vergeire, however, clarified that those who tested for IgM should immediately be under quarantine.

“Kung nag-positive po sa IgM, hindi na po natin kailangan antayin ang resulta ng RT-PCR. Kailangan na po iyan i-extract sa kanyang komunidad,” she said.

PCR-based testing is considered the gold standard in detecting COVID-19 as it sees the actual virus in samples.

Per Vergeire, the turnaround time of the RT-PCR test is two to four days.

As of May 4, the Philippines has registered 9,485 COVID-19 cases. Of this number, 1,315 have recovered while 623 have died. --KBK, GMA News