Belmonte thanks Philippine Red Cross for choosing QC as COVID-19 pilot testing area

April 4, 2020

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed gratitude to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for partnering with the local government for its coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mobile testing program.

“We are very thankful to the PRC, most especially to its chairman Sen. Richard Gordon, for choosing Quezon City as its first site for COVID-19 mobile testing,” said Belmonte following her meeting with Red Cross officials.

Belmonte said the program would be a huge boost to the local government’s efforts to arrest the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the city.

Based on the agreement, Red Cross will be coordinating to put up multiple testing sites in areas to be identified by the QC Health Department (QCHD).

“All the test samples will be gathered and handed to Red Cross for proper testing,” said Belmonte, adding that persons under investigation (PUIs) will be prioritized for testing.

According to Gordon, the Red Cross chose Quezon City as the pilot area for its mobile testing program because of its dense population and due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the city.

As of Friday evening, Quezon City said there were 476 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 34 deaths and 14 recoveries.

Gordon said the testing in Quezon City could begin next week, with the PRC using two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines to determine the presence of COVID-19.  One machine can produce 1,500 test results per day.

Meanwhile, the local government recently purchased four mechanical ventilators in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the city and in anticipation of patients who will need assistance in breathing.

The mechanical ventilators will be distributed to the city’s three local hospitals, namely the Quezon City General Hospital, Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital and the Novaliches District Hospital. Quezon City Hall