PNP to speed up establishing its COVID-19 testing lab for police in Visayas

The Philippine National Police (PNP) aims to fast-track the establishment of its own COVID-19 testing laboratory in Central Visayas as the number of infected police personnel keeps increasing.

In a statement on Saturday, PNP said at least 483 personnel were infected by the coronavirus. The number is 1.6% of the total 28,459 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country as of June 19, PNP noted.

According to PNP, 225 of the cases came from Metro Manila, while 112 are from Central Visayas.

“Capacity-building measures such as having our own testing laboratories will ensure that our police front liners are tested and that we get the results fast,” PNP Chief Police General Archie Gamboa said.

“It is in protecting our own PNP personnel that we are able to protect the Filipino people better," Gamboa added.

The PNP is seeking the approval of the Department of Health regarding a suitable site for the proposed testing laboratory in Central Visayas.

Currently, PNP is operating its own newly-developed RT-PCR laboratory in Camp Crame that was granted a license to operate by the DOH on May 26. 

As of Saturday, the Philippines reported 29,400 cases of COVID-19 with 7,650 recoveries and 1,150 fatalities. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News