In a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), the Manila city government began its localized mass testing with over a thousand swab tests being done weekly.
The Manila Public Information Office (PIO) on Monday announced that Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso ordered the Manila Health Department (MHD) and the city’s six district hospitals to do mass testing.
The said health facilities can do about 1,624 swab tests weekly, or around 232 per day. Its daily capacity is as follows:
– MHD/Delpan Quarantine Facility — 50 tests per day
– Ospital ng Maynila — 20 tests per day
– Sta. Ana Hospital/MIDCC — 30 tests per day
– Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center — 50 tests per day
– Ospital ng Tondo — 17 tests per day
– Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital — 15 tests per day
– Ospital ng Sampaloc — 50 tests per day
The swab tests will be processed by either the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) or the Philippine General Hospital which is now operating as a COVID-19 referral center.
PGH Director Dr. Gap Legaspi has committed to the Manila City government that they can release the results in two to three days, the Manila PIO said.
As of posting, about 934 swab tests have already been conducted. The breakdown is as follows:
– Sta Ana Hospital/MIDCC — 451 tests
– Manila Health Department — 190 tests
– Ospital ng Maynila — 106 tests
– Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center — 55 tests
– Ospital ng Tondo — 30 tests
– Ospital ng Sampaloc — 44 tests
– Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital — 40 tests
Manila is the third city in Metro Manila to announce that the conduct localized mass testing, next to Valenzuela City and Quezon City.
Latest data showed that the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippine capital has exceeded 300, with 38 mortalities and 25 recovered patients. (Minka Tiangco)