Philippines now has 117 accredited labs for COVID-19 testing, Galvez says

Chief implementer of the government's response against COVID-19 pandemic Secretary Carlito Galvez on Monday said the Philippines now has a total of 117 COVID-19 laboratories.

"As of September 5, mayroon na po tayong 117 accredited COVID-19 testing laboratories sa buong bansa kumpara noong Pebrero na iisang accredited laboratory lang po ang mayroon tayo," Galvez said at a press briefing.

He also said more than two million individuals have already been tested for COVID-19 as of last month.

"Sa kabuuan po, tayo ay nakapagproseso na po ng 2,772,075 test samples mula sa 2,601,281 na indibidwal. Nahigitan na po natin ang ating target na dalawang milyong tests noong nakaraang Agosto," Galvez said.

Galvez said the national government would continue to intensify its measures against COVID-19 even an expert from the University of the Philippines had mentioned that COVID-19 transmission in the country has slowed down.

Galvez said this was an "initial success" of the efforts of the government in fighting the pandemic.

"Nagbubunga na 'yung pinaghirapan natin. For the past four weeks na nagkaroon tayo ng MECQ sa NCR, talagang nagdoble-kayod po lahat ng IATF na bumaba po kami sa lahat ng LGUs," Galvez said. — RSJ, GMA News