DAVAO CITY, March 20 (PIA) - The Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) kits are now in Davao City with testing now being done at the Southern Philippine Medical Center.

Currently there are 96 recorded Patients Under Investigation (PUIs) within Region XI. With the number of PUIs are still at a manageable level, the Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH DCHD) is taking a proactive approach in addressing the possible surge of PUIs within the Region.

Part of the said approach by the DOH DCHD in combatting the spread of COVID-19 is to provide the second facility capable of testing for the said disease. This will greatly reduce the time needed to confirm if a particular PUI would test positive for COVID-19 hence enabling the government's frontline health professionals to implement contact tracing and other necessary health protocols without waiting for test results for 48-72 hours.

Undersecretary for Health for Visayas and Mindanao Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr. reminds the general public the importance of having legitimate sources for test kits that should be at par with the standards of the DOH. This is because of the proliferation of counterfeit test kits in the market which may yield inaccurate results.

"It [COVID-19 Test Kits] has to be sensitive, it has to be specific, it has to yield a good result that would lead to a good decision for us," Dr. Dumama said when clarifying what health authorities are looking for in donated or purchased COVID-19 test kits.

Also, the said testing kits used to confirm cases for COVID-19 is not a mere test kit that the general public can use. USec Dumama laid down how the said kits are to be used in tandem with sophisticated laboratory equipment and technically trained professionals. "Gusto ko lang po ipaabot sa mga kababayan natin na itong test ay hindi ho ito pregnancy test. Ito ay ginagawa lamang sa laboratory ...it should be done in a laboratory only (I just want to make it clear to the public that this test is not just like a pregnancy test. This test should be conducted in a laboratory)," Dr. Dumama said.

As for addressing the need for testing PUIs, the DOH DCHD is using a new algorithm that was issued this 18th of March. The said algorithm is composed of a series of categories that would both confirm the need for testing a patient and to efficiently allocate test kits to population centers where the virus is most virulent. (PIA XI/K. Caro)