DOH wants COVID-19 testing labs to explain closure during Holy Week

The Department of Health (DOH) will ask the COVID-19 testing laboratories to explain their closure during the Holy Week.

Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said they are already discussing possible actions on these laboratories, noting that the DOH has issued a memorandum asking them not to stop operations during the Lenten season.

“We are now discussing with our licensing office those laboratories which did not operate during the Holy Week, because we have issued a department memorandum advising them that they should remain open to have their laboratories operational during this Holy Week because it is a critical time in our situation,” she said in a media briefing Wednesday.

“So pinag-uusapan na po natin kung ano (ang gagawin) but definitely magpapaliwanag po sila sa amin kung bakit hindi sila nagbukas (We are discussing what we will do but definitely they need to explain),” she added.

Last week, the DOH asked the COVID-19 testing laboratories to continue operating even during the Holy Week as the country battles a fresh surge in infections.

Moreover, the DOH reminded the public that the decrease in the reproduction rate of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region may not be interpreted as a downward trend since there are a laboratories that did not operate and submit data last week.

On Tuesday, the OCTA Research Group that the reproduction rate of COVID-19 in Metro Manila has decreased to 1.53 in the past week from 1.88 percent before the reimposition of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

On Tuesday, the Philippines’ tally of COVID-19 cases soared to 812,760 on Tuesday after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 9,373 new infections.

The number excludes data from 10 laboratories that failed to submit its records on time.

The current utilization rate of Intensive Care Unit beds is at 82 while the utilization rate of isolation beds is at 71 in the National Capital Region.—AOL, GMA News