DOH says testing capacity for COVID-19 less than 10,000

May 25, 2020

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday the country's testing capacity for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is less than 10,000.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told the Malacanang Press Corps  the country has surpassed the target of 30,000 testing capacity by May 30.

"The actual testing capacity is averaging around 8,500 to 9,500 per day," Vergeire told reporters on Monday.

 Roque said the country has met its target after reaching a national testing capacity of 32,000 last May 20.

 Vergeire said the number mentioned by Roque includes the estimated or potential testing capacity of all licensed laboratories in the country.

"The 32,000 is the estimated testing capacity sans all other factors that may affect operations of laboratories," said Vergeire.

Vergeire said there are just a total of 42 accredited laboratories, and not 66, as mentioned by Roque.

"We only have 42 licensed laboratories, including 34 reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing facilities and 8 GeneXpert laboratories," said the health official.

Vergeire said the number mentioned by Roque may have included the 17 laboratories they identified as "possible to be licensed" in the next two weeks.

The DOH reported that there are 14,319 COVID-19 cases in the country.

Five new fatalities were recorded, bringing to 873 the  number of COVID-19 deaths.

The DOH said there 2were 74 new cases of recoveries among COVID-19 patients.

This means that 3,323 COVID-19 patients have recovered from COVID-19. DMS