By ANALOU DE VERA
The Department of Health yesterday announced that 380 more persons have contracted COVID-19, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 15,049.
Based on the latest case bulletin, the DoH also reported 18 additional fatalities among COVID-19 patients, bringing the death toll to 904.
The Health department also said that 94 more patients have survived COVID-19, raising the country’s recoveries to 3,506.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that COVID-19 testing laboratories in the country were ordered to operate seven days a week, after they have seen a “downward trend” on testing outputs.
“We have a meeting with all our laboratories yesterday because we are seeing a downward trend,” said Vergeire in a press briefing.
“Nagkaroon na po ng instruction si Secretary Duque kagabi na lahat po ng laboratoryo ay hindi na maari pang magkaroon ng one day off para sa kanilang operations,” she added.
Based on the DoH information, only 5,535 samples were tested on May 25. The DoH previously reported that the testing done per day ranges between 8,000 to 9,000.
“Bumababa itong ating laboratory outputs per day since, I think, that was Thursday of last week,” said Vergeire.
She said that among the factors contributing to a decrease in testing output was the lack of supplies, broken equipment, as well as limited operating hours experienced by some laboratories.
“One of the main issues again would be the supplies. Some of our laboratories lack supplies for these past days na kailangan namin i-source out para mabigyan natin sila. Pangalawa, nung nasira po last Friday ‘yung exhaust system ng UP-NIH (University of the Philippines-National Institute of Health) tumigil din po sila mag test nito…Meron tayong mga walong private laboratories na hindi nag ooperate kapag Linggo,” said Vergeire.
Vergeire said that they have now given each laboratory a target testing output per day.
“Nagbigay na po tayo ng target sa bawat laboratory para makikita po natin ‘yung progress nila at nakakapag commit sila na talagang nira-ramp up natin itong capacity natin for testing ,” said Vergeire.
The Health official noted that if the laboratories “need to decontaminate, they do it in their break times or during lull times in their processing.”
Based on DoH data, there are now 42 laboratories that are licensed to conduct testing for COVID-19.
