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7,000 COVID-19 test results yet to be processed -official


The Philippines has 7,000 COVID-19 test results that have yet to be processed, COVID-19 testing czar Vince Dizon bared Thursday.

At a press briefing, Dizon said such backlog has prompted the government to meet with all 30 accredited laboratories across the country. He said it was agreed upon that laboratories that are not swamped with unprocessed results will help the other laboratories.

“Ang kailangan po natin habulin, 7,000 COVID-19 tests na hindi pa napa-process. Kaya nagpulong po kahapon para hanapan ito ng solusyon,” Dizon said.

“Dahil po sa automated machines galing sa San Miguel Corporation, 80% ang itataas ng kapasidad ng mga lab tulad ng RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine). Tutulong po ang private sector, and we are confident na in two weeks, mauubos natin ang backlog,” he added.

Likewise, Dizon reported that from conducting 5,000 COVID-19 tests per day as of May 2, the country has been conducting 8,700 tests per day as of May 10.

As for testing capacity, Dizon said the country is capable of conducting 14,500 tests per day as of May 10, a 70.6% increase from May 2 figure of 8,500.

In addition, Dizon said that the number of laboratories for processing COVID-19 tests has increased to 30 as of May 14 from just five last March 19.

Dizon, however, said such marked improvement is not a cause for celebration just yet.

“Napakarami pong challenges sa testing. Ito po ay napakakumplikadong proseso, napakaraming kailangang gawin, iyong pagbili ng supplies abroad, equipment, supplies, skills ng medtech at iyong mag-ooperate ng laboratories,” Dizon said.

“Gumaganda na po ang ating kapasidad pero hindi pa po tayo kuntento. Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang pagtatrabaho para umarangkada na po ang mass testing natin,” he added. --KBK, GMA News

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