(Eagle News) — The COVID-19 tests in the country have reached 35,000 per day which is double the daily tests being done in Japan and South Korea, according to COVID-19 testing czar Vince Dizon.
Dizon said that the Philippines has in fact one of the highest number of COVID-19 tests done daily in Asia, as he stressed how COVID-19 tests in the country had increased in the past few weeks. But he said that this is still not enough and that there should be more aggressive testing particularly in Metro Manila and Region 4-A which reported rising cases, and because of this had been placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine once again, including the Central Luzon province of Bulacan.
“Alam naman po natin na napakalaki na po ng itinaas ng ating testing. In fact, sa ngayon ang ating test per day ay umaabot na ng 35,000 per day. Tayo na po ang isa sa pinakamataas sa Asya na nagte-test, halos doble po ng South Korea at ng Japan. Pero kulang pa rin po ito, dahil sa nakikita natin kailangan pa ring maging mas agresibo tayo sa pagte-test natin lalo na sa mga area tulad ng NCR at ng Region IV-A,” Dizon said in a virtual presser on Monday, August 3.
The latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that the total COVID-19 tests done so far in the country have reached 1,467,723.
This is from accumulated data from 72 licensed RT-PCR laboratories, and 23 licensed GeneXpert laboratories.
Dizon said that there should be more aggressive contact tracing in locked down barangays where there are a high number of cases.
He said that they would meet on this with National Action Plan against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., especially on the plan while Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna are under MECQ. The two-week MECQ period is from Tuesday, August 4 until August 18.
“Ito ang gagawin natin ngayon, nagpatawag po ng meeting ang ating Chief Implementer kaninang umaga para i-outline po lahat ng kailangang gawin sa mga susunod na araw habang nasa MECQ ang NCR, ang Region IV-A at ang Bulacan,” he said.
“At ang isa po diyan ay ang aggressive contact tracing at testing na gagawin natin sa mga lockdown barangays. Ito iyong mga barangay sa Metro Manila at sa ibang mga siyudad na malapit sa Metro Manila kung saan mataas na mataas ang mga kaso.”
Contact tracing czar Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo “Bong” Vega and Health Secretary Mark Villar will also help in the more aggressive contact tracing, treatment, and isolation of suspected and confirmed cases with mild symptoms, including those who are asymptomatic.
Dizon said that they would aim to lessen the number of COVID-19 infections to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed.
“So, sa tulong po ni Mayor Benjie Magalong at ni Usec. Bong Vega at ni Secretary Mark Villar, iyon pong ating Testing, Tracing, iyong ating pag-isolate ng mga positibo at siyempre iyong pag-treat ng ating mga medyo malubha ang magiging sakit ay talagang lalo pa nating gagawing mas aggressive at mas intense sa mga susunod na araw para medyo mapabagal natin ang pagdami ng mga kaso at ma-minimize natin ang mga kababayan nating malubhang magkakasakit dahil sa COVID-19,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)
