DOH’s Vergeire: Expect COVID-19 cases to go up after inclusion of antigen test results

A higher number of new COVID-19 cases should be expected once antigen test results are included in the official tally of infections, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said rapid antigen test kits will soon be deployed to Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna—areas under the strictest lockdown classification—amid a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases. 

The antigen kits will be used to test close contacts of COVID-19 cases and people with symptoms or a history of exposure.

“Therefore, when you do that, we expect that cases will increase since we will be able to test more people and see who are positive and negative,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino during a briefing.

“This can hasten and facilitate our response on the ground for us to cut the transmission of this disease,” she added.

Vergeire also clarified that the antigen test kits must only be used on close contacts, symptomatic individuals, and those who were exposed to COVID-19.

“We still cannot use antigen tests for screening purposes, like when you go to an establishment or to the workplace,” she said.

The DOH earlier announced that antigen test results would be included in the official tally of COVID-19 cases as part of the country’s outbreak response. 

Antigen testing will be employed as soon as the 500,000 kits procured by the government arrive in the country. 

The Philippines logged 9,296 new infections on Tuesday, the fifth consecutive day with over 9,000 new cases, bringing total active cases to 124,680. — RSJ, GMA News