Almost 200,000 antigen tests deployed in NCR Plus —Dizon

Almost 200,000 antigen tests have been deployed in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its neighboring provinces amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, testing czar Vince Dizon said Thursday.

In a live briefing, Dizon said that the tests have been administered in NCR Plus areas, which is composed of NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, as well as Pampanga and Batangas.

“Uulitin ko po itong mga antigen test na ito ay ginagamit natin dito lang sa NCR Plus at ang ginagamit po natin para dito ay mag test lamang ng mga symptomatic, yung mga close contact ng mga symptomatic, at close contact ng mga nagpo-positibo sa COVID-19,” he said.

(I repeat, antigen tests are only used in the NCR Plus and are allocated to test symptomatic individuals, close contacts of symptomatic individuals, and close contacts of those who tested positive for COVID-19.)

The Philippine government began using antigen test kits to augment the country’s RT-PCR tests as part of efforts to curb the spread of the illness.

Meanwhile, Dizon said that the average daily number of COVID-19 tests per day has reached 55,000 and has peaked at more than 60,000 per day.

“So pinipilit po talaga natin kahit na po medyo nahihirapan ang iba nating laboratoryo lalo na sa NCR Plus dahil marami po sa kanilang personnel ay nagkakasakit din, nagkaka-COVID,” he said.

(We’re persevering even if some of our laboratories in the NCR Plus are having difficulties because many of their personnel have also tested positive.)

“At nakita po natin mula an average of about 30,000, ngayon po ang average na op natin ay lampas 55,000 at nag pe-peak na po tayo ng above 60,000 per day,” he added.

(And we saw that from an average of 30,000, now we have an average of more than 55,000 and we have peaked at above 60,000 per day.)

The NCR Plus areas are in modified enhanced community quarantine until April 30.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has reported 971,049 confirmed cases, including 16,370 who have died. — BM, GMA News