Galvez: 3.2M Pinoys tested for COVID-19 since start of pandemic

A total of 3.2 million Filipinos have already been tested since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary Carlito Galvez said Wednesday.

"Magandang balita din po, dahil sa agresibong testing na ginagawa natin ngayon, umabot na po sa 3.2 million na Pilipino ang ating na-test mula nang magsimula ang epidemya," Galvez, the chief implementer of the government's response against COVID-19, said at a virtual press briefing.

He said this number is almost 3% of the country's population.

In March, only 20,000 individuals were tested for the disease, according to Galvez.

"Ngayon ang ating average testing output ay umaabot na po na 36,000 test na kung saan ang ating highest recorded daily test output ay umabot na po sa 46,526 tests noong September 11, 2020," Galvez said.

Galvez also said there are already a total of 130 accredited laboratories across the country as of September 21.

The Philippines has so far recorded a total of 294,591 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries rose to 231,373 after 765 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease. The death toll also climbed to 5,091 with 44 new fatalities.

The other 58,127 are active cases undergoing treatment or quarantine, 86.5% of which are mild, 9.2% are asymptomatic, 1.3% are severe, and 3% are in critical condition. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News